National Physical Therapy Month Celebrations Under Way

October is National Physical Therapy Month, and according to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), this year’s theme is the importance of daily physical activity to prevent and combat overweight and obesity for people of all ages and abilities.

“Physical therapists are committed to helping in the fight against obesity and its consequences by helping you make the commitment to be physically active,” said APTA President Scott Ward, PT, PhD, in a statement to the public. “No matter your age, physical ability, or past experiences with exercise, a physical therapist can help you and your family achieve better health through physical activity.”

To help celebrate the month, APTA suggests PTs incorporate the theme into their practice and decorate their spaces. A number of clinics are getting festive with free, fit-themed activities for the general public:

* Physiotherapy Associates will offer a free, 15-minute consultation with a licensed clinician at its more than 600 clinics throughout October;
* Comprehensive Physical Therapy and Bandera Fitness in Bandara, Tex, hosted a Health Fair on October 1, which featured equipment demonstrations, free blood pressure checks, and consultations with PTs and fitness professionals; and
* Genesis Physical Therapy in Bettendorf, Iowa, held free sports and wellness screenings for the general public on October 12. The event featured screenings for body fat, blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation, balance, appropriateness of dynamic stretching, and hand/grip strength.

Additionally, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) is celebrating the month by encouraging people with arthritis and other rheumatic diseases to discover the benefits of rehabilitation with a physical therapist.

APTA’s physical therapy month began as a weeklong event in 1981. In 1992, National Physical Therapy Week became National Physical Therapy Month and moved from June to October.

[Source: APTA; ACR]