TransformativeCare: What is physical therapy today?

Physical therapy has morphed over its relatively short history, improving and bettering the profession with innovative techniques and approaches aimed at improving and bettering the lives of millions of individuals living with both acute and chronic conditions. Physical therapy is an essential part of the healing journey and is an indispensable tool to aid your recovery as well as improve your overall well-being that should never be overlooked.

The origins of the physical therapy profession are cited as early as 3000 BCE when the Tao-Tse recorded a discipline known as “Cong-Fu”, which is understood as early forms of therapeutic movement in ancient China. Later in 500 BCE, a physician in ancient Greece by the name of Herodicus was documented to prescribe a protocol of manual therapy and exercise to treat pain.

Moving into the 2nd century, Galen, a Roman physician, has been cited to use a series of “movement exercises” to rehabilitate soldiers in the Roman empire. These early principals had made their way through centuries as well as through Europe and Asia and have given way to evidence used in the 19th and 20th centuries to what is today known as the profession of physical therapy.¹

Early principals have paved the way for modern physical therapy, proving that the principals from 3000 BCE have certainly been able to withstand the test of time. In the United States, the profession was born from Reconstruction aides in early 1918, with a group of 18 women trained to administer manual therapy and exercises to injured soldiers in World War 1. Mary McMillian, cited as the founder of what is currently known as the APTA, American Physical Therapy Association, in 1921 made way for the professional to get the merit recognition it needed in order to thrive and transition into what we know today as modern physical therapy.²

What is Physical therapy today?

Modern physical therapy as an independent discipline within the healthcare field encompassing a vast scope of practice. The basic principles of physical therapy embrace mobility and manual techniques to improve pain, weakness, and imbalances to promote improved movement patterns and better overall functional performance and quality of life.

Physical therapy is a discipline with a focus on improvement of specific physiological and mobility deficits to maximize functional performance. Physical therapy has many benefits, and each individual will receive a comprehensive physical evaluation to determine their specific deficits and needs in order to tailor a program to meet their individual goals.

Some of the many benefits of physical therapy can include:

1. Pain management.
2. Improvement of Neurological deficits, through principles of neuroplasticity including Stroke recovery, Spinal cord injury recovery, concussion, and other neurological conditions.
3. Treating and managing return to prior level of function from orthopedic injuries and surgeries.
4. Prehabilitation programs performed prior to surgical interventions, to aid in improved recovery following primarily elective orthopedic surgeries.
5. Management of symptoms and functional deficits associated with chronic conditions including Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, Chronic pain, Chronic Obstructive pulmonary disease, and development delays.
6. Improvement and promotion of wellness based services for general deconditioning.

A physical therapist is your most skilled tool in your recovery. Extensive training and continued education throughout their career prepares them to be adept at managing many conditions and concerns. Your physical therapist may use a series of manual “Hands on” techniques to improve pain, facilitate proper movement and stimulate a physiological change at the body tissue level to promote and advance healing. Physical therapy may also include a number of different modalities which have specific uses to treat many conditions, including but not limited to moist heat, cryotherapy, Electrical Stimulation modalities, Laser, ultrasound, etc.

As introduced earlier, the principles behind therapeutic exercise have been proven throughout the centuries as an integral part of the physical therapy approach, and will be used to supplement many other techniques to address pain, weakness, imbalances, and all functional mobility to enhance your wellness and recovery. Therapeutic exercises and activities will be performed with skilled facilitation to improve specific movement and body deficits. These exercises and activities may be modified and facilitated with a specific goal in mind, reflecting the need for skilled assessment, reassessment, and training by a physical therapist.

How to Choose a Physical Therapist?

Choosing your physical therapist, practice and setting is imperative for your success and recovery. All physical therapists attend a dedicated school program and receive an advanced degree as well as adequate training to meet your needs; however Physical therapists can obtain advanced training in certain areas that they would like to focus on. It is important to complete your research and choose the right provider for you!

In modern physical therapy practice, there are many settings to receive physical therapy services. It is crucial to check with your insurance carrier to be sure, your setting of choice is covered by your individual plan. Physical therapy is provided at inpatient care centers including Hospitals, Rehabilitation centers, as well as Short term and Long term care facilities. Homecare physical therapy is provided by a licensed homecare agency, and may also include nursing and home health care aides. This type of service is provided to individuals who are deemed homebound by the providers and insurance companies. Outpatient services have advanced to date, with the ability to provide services both at home or in a therapy clinic. Outpatient at home services are a great way to bridge the gap for patients that are no longer truly homebound, but require the therapist to perform the outpatient level services in the comfort of their home for any reason.

Physical therapy is a personalized experience and should be reflected in the program developed as well as the client specific goals. A physical therapist is a valuable tool to advance your recovery and should be considered for all stages of life.

¹ The History of Physical Therapy. April 21, 2024. The History of Physical Therapy: From Ancient Times to Present Day

² History Physio: America’s first physical therapist. Oct 28, 2024. America’s first Physical Therapist – history.physio