Physical Therapy

Physical therapy is appropriate for treating pain at any point during an individual’s chronic pain care or in the event of acute pain or injury.

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 can be effective for people across all stages of their healthcare experience. For acute injuries, early PT intervention can mitigate pain and inflammation, promote faster healing, prevent transition to chronic pain (including high-impact chronic pain), and reduce long-term opioid use. For chronic conditions like arthritis or back pain, ongoing PT can effectively manage symptoms, improve functional capacity, and enhance long-term quality of life. Furthermore, PT plays a vital role in injury prevention programs and in maintaining physical function and independence in older adults.

PT is often provided as part of a multidisciplinary patient care plan alongside other pain interventions. Research indicates that PT often works well with other interventions, such as medication for pain management, surgical procedures to address structural issues, and psychological support to address behavioral and emotional barriers to recovery. A collaborative, integrated approach maximizes the potential for positive outcomes.