Happy halfway-through-October day! We’ll be honest – here at ATI, we’re pretty big fans of October. Between football games, the World Series, Halloween, and celebrating National Physical Therapy Month, October has a lot of good things going on. And since we’re halfway through the month today, we want to bring you a few more fun facts about physical therapy!
But, before we get there, we want to showcase Hearts in Motion. Throughout the month, all 190+ ATI clinics are collecting items for Hearts in Motion, a non-profit organization owned and operated by a physical therapist to help provide care for families and communities across the Americas. Share your love for October with us by donating at a local ATI clinic.
And, now, for your National Physical Therapy Month fun facts…
- Thanks to APTA for giving us reason to celebrate: National Physical Therapy month is brought to us by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), a professional organization with more than 80,000 members of the physical therapy community. The APTA developed Move Forward PT to share and promote educational information about physical therapy with the general public, so be sure to check out all of their helpful articles, videos, and blog posts!
- An army of almost 200,000: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were about 198,000 physical therapists employed in 2010.
- Organizing early: In 1921, Mary McMillian founded the first professional association called the American Women’s Physical Therapeutic Association. This later became the APTA.
- Employment is on the rise: Employment in the field of physical therapy is expected to increase by 39% from 2010 to 2020.
- PTs must know their stuff: In addition to graduating from an accredited program, students must also pass a licensure exam to be certified as a physical therapist.
- Find them all over the map: Outpatient clinics (like ATI) aren’t the only places you’ll find PTs. Many work for hospitals, schools, fitness centers, senior centers, home health agencies, universities, and more!
- They put you back together: During World War I, the army utilized “reconstruction aides,” who were nurses tasked with rehabilitating wounded soldiers through occupational and physical therapy.
- PTs prevent: Although many people think physical therapists only rehabilitate injuries, they actually work to prevent injuries as well by educating patients on safer movements and motions.
- More than just head, shoulders, knees, and toes: Specially-trained physical therapists can aide with a variety of medical issues. From vestibular rehabilitation specialists who help minimize balance disorders to women’s health specialists who perform pelvic floor rehabilitation, physical therapy encompasses a broad range of treatments.
- Let’s get physio: In many other countries, PTs are referred to as “physiotherapists.”
Want even more National Physical Therapy Month fun facts? Head over to our Facebook page where we’re posting new fun facts every day!