October is Physical Therapy Month: Why Physical Therapists are Important

by | Sep 28, 2020 | Physical Therapy

Written By: Paul Frizelle, PT, DPT, MS, OCS, MTC, CSCS, PES, CES

October is National Physical Therapy Month and my first thought is “that seems a bit self-aggrandizing to create a month about your own profession”.   So, for a moment I have stepped back and looked at my job as a PT to assess if it warrants a whole month to recognize the profession? 

 We, as physical therapists, help people recover from all types of surgeries including wrists, elbows, shoulders, knees, hips, spine, and ankles.   We work with individuals who have sustained all manner of neurologic injuries including concussions, TBI, CVA and spinal cord injuries.  Throughout our days, we may work with populations as diverse a vestibular related dizziness, another patient with Parkinson’s Disease, and the next one with a sprained knee.  All of them come in with goals and needs from engaging our professional knowledge.   We have to use a diverse range of tools to help individuals from all backgrounds and points in life to return to the quality of living that they desire.  And with all of this, each of us spends countless hours consulting with caregivers, family members, and other healthcare professionals on how we can best accomplish their goals. 

 

 

So maybe when I look at the entirety of our professions and how we are able to help, maybe it is ok to have a month for our field.  And most definitely each allied health profession deserves the recognition that the PT’s receive in October in their own special month.   It is truly an amazing gift to be able to provide help to others, so maybe we can be a little selfish this month and tell ourselves “we are doing good for others”.  

 

 

Lastly, here are some of my favorite Twitter feeds that I follow to keep up with all of the latest trends and education in the PT field. 

 

Interested in learning more from Paul Frizelle? Check out his upcoming courses and webinars below: