A World Without Physical Therapists Would Be Costly

If the New York Times piece wasn't enough, now the ripple effect is occurring... how about this little opinion piece?  The opinion of an ex-surgeon.  The ex-surgeon's opinion is based on his experience as a patient after what had to have been more than just a fall, but instead a very long drop to the ground.  (Maybe he had a concurrent head injury which clouds his memory, thinking ability and judgment?) 

How can one respond to someone's selective memory?  On a spectrum of full agreement to full disagreement, I mildly agree with some of this surgeon's opinion, while at the same time definitely disagree with his final conclusion.  Most patients really don't have a clue how to progress themselves adequately to reach their highest level of function, safety and independence. They obviously can't provide manual techniques to themselves (not that it is always necessary, but in instances where evidence suggests a manual + exercise approach). Since the surgeon focused on exercise, most patients also don't have the resources to safely and independently manage their condition with the appropriate intensity of exercise.  (They can definitely be able to perform the exercise at the right frequency and duration and for the appropriate amount of repetitions, but not always at the right intensity to obtain the desired gains.)  

Could any of you imagine this world without you in it doing what you currently do?  A world, void of physical therapists... what would that look like?  Yeah... take the 5 minute instruction from the surgeon or the pamphlet of information from your doctor and just go do it.  You just had 70% of your body burned.. yeah, just do what needs to be done to get your joints moving.  You just had a stroke... yeah, just start moving and get walking.  You can't move because your back is screaming at you... your choices are drugs or surgery.  So sorry you were in that car accident and you broke your arm and leg, had a head injury and also had a whiplash injury - you'll mend, in time.  I bet the number of people on disability, the cost of providing care, and the frequency of depression would all rise.  There would also be an increase in the number of people not living independently, so their financial cost of living would increase.

The "sage/hero" branding isn't going to get us out of this one...  I know, without a doubt, I do have an impact on patients.  We need outcome data at a level greater than diagnosis, number of visits and cost.  What is it that motivates people to seek physical therapy services?  They are sick and tired of their pain and/or they want to get back to living their lives without having problems doing various activities.

What are you doing in  2010 to show you make a difference in assisting in alleviating pain and getting people back to life?

~Selena