Every October we celebrate National Physical Therapy month. It is a great time to celebrate and educate. It is a great time to show the world what Physical Therapy can do for them for not only recovering from injuries, but to also prevent illness.
History of Physical Therapy month
The first National Physical Therapy month started in October of 1992 by the American Physical Therapy Association. It was used as a way to celebrate all the hard work performed by Physical Therapists and Physical Therapy Assistants to better the lives of those they worked with.
National Physical Therapy month did not start as a full month. It was originally started in June 1981 as a week of celebration during the APTA conference. It then evolved over time into a full month celebration in 1992.
National Physical Therapy month 2024
Each year the APTA establishes a theme for each year. It is a great way to further educate the general population of specific aspects of physical therapy. It is a great tool to spotlight a reason for someone to see a physical therapist.
This year’s focus is on fall prevention. Physical Therapists can perform fall risk assessments to quantify a person’s risk of falls. They can utilize standardized tests to determine fall risk as well as to assess other physical impairments that could negativity affect their health and wellness.
A Simple fall prevention assessment is so beneficial that even Medicare not only recommends but covers a screening upon enrollment to Medicare.
Say thank you to a Physical Therapist or Physical Therapy Assistant
So please take some time this month to thank one of these therapists. There are so many benefits from working with one and we continue to work hard in every setting to promote what we do as well as attempt to better the lives of everyone we encounter with.
