Once again, we have hit the month of October. Across the United States the month of October is celebrated as Physical Therapy Month. As Physical Therapists and Physical Therapist Assistants we have the opportunity to significantly change and improve the quality of life of the people we work with. This is true in all the different settings that all Therapists can be found. Physical Therapy is performed in settings such as hospitals, schools, outpatient clinics, skilled nursing homes, and assisted living facilities.
History of Physical Therapy
To truely appreciate the scope of Physical therapy we need to look at the history of our profession. There is documented evidence of the use of “Physical medicine” all the way back to Sweden in 1887. According to the National Library of Medicine, evidence of the use of exercise, manipulation, and massage was being performed by physicians to improve the quality of health of their patients. Unfortunately, there is very little research and documentation of the actual development of physical therapy for decades after that. Modern day physical therapy ideas strengthened during the polio outbreak of 1916 and was further established after World War I while returning soldiers that were injured were treated by nurses called “Reconstruction Aides”.
Establishment of APTA
In 1921 the first known physical therapy aide named Mary MacMillan started the American Women’s Physical Therapeutic Association. In 1922 it was changed to the American Physiotherapy Association while allowing men to join. It would later become the modern day American Physical Therapy Association in the 1940s.
Establishment of the PTA
In 1969 the first Physical Therapist Assistant students graduated from Miami Dade College and St Mary’s Campus of St Catherine College in Minnesota. It was a total of 15 students.
Physical Therapy Month
Physical Therapy month was started as a single week celebration in June. It was observed in conjunction with the APTA’s annual conference in June. Over time it expanded to a full month in October of 1992.
So if you are a Physical therapist or Physical therapist assistant, Happy PT month! If you are a different discipline please say thank you to the PTs and PTAs that you work with. It is important to celebrate all that we do for the people that we interact with.
