Beware of Physical Therapy Imitators

The growing trend of physical therapy imitators can be confusing - Don’t be fooled.

“I know I’m a massage therapist but people say I’m just like a physical therapist.”

“I have a kinesiology degree and it’s basically the knowledge base of a physical therapist.”

“I’m an exercise physiologist and it’s like a physical therapist.”

“I’m a personal trainer with lots of experience working with stroke and brain injury patients.”

Not only are these statements false, they are harmful lies that can mislead people into thinking they are getting the same services that a doctor of physical therapy provides. When it comes to rehabilitation there is no shortage of people claiming they can help you but, make no mistake, there is no substitute for a skilled doctor of physical therapy.  Licensed physical therapists undergo rigorous educational training with a combination of an undergraduate degree and post-professional college education that spans 6-7 years to earn a doctorate.  They are also required to pass clinical training, become individually licensed by each state, and adhere to consistent continuing education standards for license renewal (minimum of 30hrs of qualifying continuing education every 2 years in California for example).  These are the minimum standards for a licensed doctor of physical therapy to practice in your state.  When we consider the extensive experience and practical training involved it is easy to see the value that a skilled doctor of PT can offer to patients in need. Yet the number of physical therapy imitators and substitutes seems to grow every year. The presentation of their qualifications can be confusing and, over the past decade, they have been attempting to become a viable substitute for skilled neurological physical therapy. This includes treatment of people with a stroke, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson’s Disease, and more.

Massage professionals have no formal training, experience, or qualifications for evaluating and treating neurologic disorders.  Kinesiologists and exercise physiologists have a 4 year undergraduate degree with no practical experience or physical therapy training.  These undergrad degrees are often under seen as pre-requisites for consideration to get into PT school admission.  That means that their formal education is considered as a basis for becoming a PT student…not a substitute for a fully educated doctor of physical therapy.  Personal trainers need absolutely no formal education or qualifications.  Anyone can give themselves the title personal trainer without education and many of their certifications can be achieved by passing a single test for a couple hundred dollars online.

This doesn’t mean that value cannot be found in people within these areas of expertise but it absolutely means that these people are nowhere near an acceptable substitute for a physical therapist.  Would you consider the skin care specialist at the Revlon counter an acceptable substitute for a Dermatologist?  Not a chance.  While it is illegal to perform physical therapy without a license, there are many of these substitutes that attempt to perform PT services every day. 

Unfortunately, the state licensing boards tend to have a weak track record of prosecuting these PT imitators and they can go on practicing for years without notice.  The best way to avoid these imitators is to ensure that you seek out the care of a licensed doctor of physical therapy and use his/her advice for outside referrals to other professionals.  These imitators can be dangerous as they can often drain financial resources without results and even cause adverse functional effects or injury.

One thing is for sure:  There is no substitute for an experienced, skilled doctor of physical therapy. Don’t be fooled.