Did You Know?? 6 Interesting Facts about Physical Therapy

We often get questions about what physical therapy actually is and how is it different from other healthcare specialties. So, we thought we would to take a moment to answer some of those questions, by providing you with 6 interesting facts you may not know about physical therapy. Check out these little-known facts about its origins, benefits, and how it differs from other forms of treatment:

• How did it all begin? Physical therapy began in the United States as a result of World War I in response to the vast need to treat injured soldiers. Typical patients during World War I were those with head injuries, amputated limbs, and spinal cord injuries. The benefits of PT have since been proven so great that it is now an integral part of strengthening and recovery.
• Is PT just for injuries or post surgery? Physical therapists do a lot more than just stretch or strengthen weak muscles after an injury or surgery. They are skilled at evaluating and diagnosing potential problems before they lead to more serious injuries or disabling conditions—from carpal tunnel syndrome and frozen shoulder, to chronic headaches and lower back pain, to name a few.
• Do physical therapists have special training? Yes. In fact, physical therapy can only be performed by a licensed physical therapist (or a licensed physical therapy assistant who is under the supervision of a physical therapist). PT's must be licensed in one of eight areas by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialists, and some physical therapists even continue training to get a doctoral degree (DPT) or other advanced degree.
• What is the success rate of physical therapy treatment? Through extensive research, statistics widely report physical therapy to be an effective treatment for a number of different conditions. As an added bonus, a study published by the Journal Health Services Research showed that initial treatment costs were 50% lower when the primary care consultation was followed by a referral to a physical therapist, rather than an advanced imaging referral. In addition, the study also found that using physical therapy as a first treatment strategy resulted in 72% fewer costs within the first year.

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