Physical Therapy

Physical therapy is delivered by licensed physical therapists and physical therapist assistants.

Physical Therapy — Evidence Rating: Moderate to High Quality

Evidence for physical therapy comes from a robust body of literature, including numerous systematic reviews and meta-analyses, often citing moderate-to-high quality evidence for its effectiveness, particularly for musculoskeletal conditions like low back pain and knee osteoarthritis. This evidence is primarily drawn from many randomized controlled trials, with limitations in quality often related to lack of blinding of participants and providers (due to the nature of the intervention). Physical therapy is widely recommended in clinical practice guidelines, and its real-world implementation in health systems is often widespread with strong adoption. Future research opportunities include comparative effectiveness studies between different physical therapy approaches (alone and in combination with other interventions), testing innovative and collaborative care models involving PT, and designing novel implementation strategies to optimize PT success on patient and implementation outcomes.

Evidence-based Scale

PT is primarily delivered by licensed physical therapists and physical therapist assistants. Physical therapists typically hold a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree, which involves extensive education in anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, neuroscience, and pharmacology, alongside clinical internships to develop hands-on skills in examination, evaluation, diagnosis, and intervention. Some physical therapists pursue residency or fellowship programs that offer specialized training. Physical therapy assistants, who work under the direction of a physical therapist, generally hold an associate’s degree and are trained to implement treatment plans.