Physical therapy

Physical therapy is the auxiliary health profession which makes use of physical therapy modalities to prevent, correct, and alleviate movement dysfunction of anatomic or physiologic origin. The discipline includes the assessment of strength and range of motion. Physical therapists, especially for sports medicine, may practice independently, but when under physician supervision, physical and rehabilitation medicine is the relevant specialty.

Prescribing and planning physical therapy

Either a prescribing physician or an independent therapist begins the process by focusing on relief of pain, which will ease the transition into the more stressful restoration of function. General categories include heat, massage and electrical stimulation, with specific decisions about the source/method and places of application. For example, heat can come from hydrotherapy, ultrasonic therapy or diathermy.

Restoration of function includes exercise therapy, relaxation therapy and ambulation. The physical therapist may also work with multidisciplinary teams in pain management and cardiac rehabilitation.

Related disciplines

Where physical therapy concentrates on strength and range of motion, occupational therapy improves function with respect to specific tasks in activities of daily living. Dance therapy, while emphasizing emotional support, also can help movement, as can recreational therapy.

Physical therapy modalities

• Animal assisted therapy [r]: Add brief definition or description
• Balneology [r]: Therapy by various hot or warm baths in natural mineral waters, spas, or "cures". It includes not only bathing in, but also drinking the waters, but it does not include whirlpool baths, which are part of hydrotherapy ^[e]
• Postural drainagel [r]: Add brief definition or description
• Electric stimulation therapy [r]: Add brief definition or description
• Exercise movement techniques [r]: Add brief definition or description
• Exercise therapy [r]: Add brief definition or description
• Hydrotherapy [r]: External application of pure water for therapeutic purposes; emphasizes motion and temperature of the water, but excludes mineral water treatments (i.e., balneology) ^[e]
• Induced hyperthermia [r]: Add brief definition or description
• Massage therapy [r]: Add brief definition or description
• Musculoskeletal manipulations [r]: Physical movement of body tissues, muscles and bones, by hands or equipment, to improve health and circulation, relieve fatigue, or promote healing. ^[e]
• Myofunctional therapy [r]: Add brief definition or description
• Ultrasonic therapy [r]: A method used to provide deep local heating of tissue, without affecting the skin ^[e]

Physical therapy and chiropractic

The relationship between the disciplines of physical therapy and chiropractic are complex, and even more so in the health care efficiency debate since chiropractic has been accepted by an NIH Consensus Conference as effective for some conditions. Some practitioners are certified in both and find them synergistic. Other chiropractors are actively challenging changes in the scope of practice of physical therapists that permits the latter to do spinal manipulation.

Some chiropractors have presented themselves as primary care providers following an alternative medicine paradigm. A current argument, however, is that they are complementary rather than alternative providers. One proposal is that "the most appropriate role for the chiropractor is that of a direct-access, conservative and minimalist, neuromusculoskeletal specialist fully integrated in the current health care system and contributing to the evidence-based health care movement."