Many studies have compared costs of PT to those of other forms of medical care. In a large sample of patients with Medicare insurance with low back pain, the average total medical cost when physical therapy was used as the first treatment was 20% lower than when injections were used first and 75% lower than when surgery was used first. PT was also associated with decreased downstream costs in the year following initial diagnosis compared to injections (-18%) and surgery (-54%).

In an analysis focusing on earlier versus later initiation of PT, the group that initiated PT within 15 days of initial diagnosis had lower treatment costs than those who began later. Another systematic review and meta-analysis also found that direct access to PT (i.e., without a referral or prescription) was more cost-effective and resulted in fewer visits than physician-first access, paired with greater functional improvement as an important clinical outcome. The cost of implementing a PT program is understudied. However, limited research demonstrates that following clinical practice guidelines, which provide management recommendations, can help reduce the direct and downstream costs of implementation.