Physical therapists are quite simply, experts in function and movement of the human body. These professionals are educated at a bachelor's degree or higher (many new and some older physical therapists (PT's) are educated at the doctorate level) and work closely with all other health care providers as part of the health care team.

A point of clarification is needed before I proceed. A person who has graduated from an accredited physical therapy school with a Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree is considered a doctor, but is in no way considered a physician. A Doctor of Physical Therapy has a different skill set than that of a Medical Doctor and prescribes treatments that are related to musculoskeletal and movement disorders. Whereas a medical doctor or physician would be concerned with the overall health of an individual it may be in their scope of practice, but not in their mastery of knowledge, to provide such treatments that would be provided by a doctor of physical therapy.

Keeping the above in mind, here we go:

Myth 1: A physician has to send someone to a physical therapist.

Did you know that in 48 states, people like you have some form of direct access to physical therapist care. Some states do have provisions which must be met, by the physical therapist and some states only have access to evaluation.

Myth 2: Personal trainers that use the PT initials behind his/her name are also physical therapists.

Licensed physical therapists are the only professionals allowed to use the initials PT after their names. Many personal trainers try to use this designation to shorten how they classify themselves. Personal trainers often have a cursory level of fitness education and many have only passed a weekend certificate course. Physical therapists are trained in evaluation of movement disorders and in treatments that can correct these disorders. Licensed Physical Therapists are truly professionals and are held to a code of ethics as outlined in each State's practice act.

Myth 3: Athletic trainers and chiropractors are the same as physical therapists.

Many people try to confuse the public to say that modalities such as electric stimulation, ultrasound, massage, and the application of hot packs and cold packs are physical therapy modalities and therefore they practice physical therapy. Unfortunately when PT's bill insurance companies they do not have codes that are specific to physical therapy other than their initial examination and re-examination codes. The fact that other healthcare providers can bill certain insurance companies for modality codes does not mean that they are practicing physical therapy. In fact in most states, to claim they are is against the law.

Myth 4: Chiropractors are the only healthcare providers who manipulate/adjust the spine.

Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine and physical therapists are also able to manipulate the spine. In some states physical therapists need a physician's permission to adjust the spine, but that is easily accomplished by a trained physical therapist and often requires nothing more than a phone call and a faxed prescription. Also a great deal of the available research done to date on the appropriateness of spinal manipulation/adjustment has been done by physical therapists.

Also despite many claims that spinal manipulation is safe, there are always risks associated with treating the spine. Technique and the practitioner performing the technique will have a big effect on the outcome. Be sure that the person who performs any treatment to that area knows what they are doing. If something doesn't feel right, trust your gut and run.

Myth 5: Physical therapists only work in hospitals.

Licensed physical therapists work in many different settings including but not limited to the following: hospitals, schools, fitness centers, on-site at businesses (including industrial, commercial transportation, office), home health, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and assisted living facilities, performing arts (ballet, dance studios, and even musicians), and with sports teams (amateur to professional).

Myth 6: All physical therapy is the same.

Because of the large breadth of knowledge that physical therapists can posess, like any other profession, there will be differences in treatments provided, communication styles, and with outcomes. Many people will go from one accountant to another if they are dissatisfied, but still refuse to go see another physical therapist instead chalking it up to the thought of "physical therapy just doesn't work."

Myth 7: Physical therapy is for everyone.

If this were true, every professional in the healthcare industry would be a physical therapist and we would no longer need any other providers. Physical therapists can help many people with many conditions or needs, however there are many other conditions that are completely out of the scope of practice for anyone other than a medical physician.

Myth 8: The chiropractors that list themselves under Google ads for physical therapy are ethical.

Misleading the public is not ethical. Nor is attempting to perform treatments or services that are out of the scope of your practice for any professional. It is great to be a physical therapist because apparently everyone wants to be one and everyone thinks that they can be one.

Myth 9: All people working as "physical therapists" in physicians offices that provide physical therapy are physical therapists.

The fact is that physicians can bill what is called "incident to" when billing insurance companies for physical therapy services. To that regard, they can hire anyone (and I mean anyone) to perform treatments under their "watchful" eye. Now the physicians worth your money will hire licensed physical therapists in their office, but not every physician does this especially when it is cheaper to hire someone that isn't licensed. Why would anyone want to go to physical therapy where it is not provided by a licensed physical therapist or assistant? Unfortunately if you don't ask, they won't tell.

Myth 10: Referral-for-profit relationships don't hurt anyone.

The reality is that any referral for profit relationship has the potential for overutilization of services and fraud. There is defintely an incentive for a physician to refer to a physical therapy provider in which they own all or a percentage of the business. From a business stand point it doesn't make sense not to send existing clients to a facility in which you stand to gain financially. It is well documented that physicians that own imaging services utilize imaging services more than their counterparts that do not have the imaging services available. Does this mean that these physicians intentionally attempt to overutilize these services? No, however there certainly is no incentive to not send every client for an X-ray. The same with physical therapy services. If a physician stands to gain from a client that will be seen in a physical therapy office, why not add two more weeks to a prescription that could stand to net a few hundred dollars more. Think this doesn't add up? Most small physical therapy practices will see 2000 visits a year. If each client nets an owner $30 after expenses that is $60,000 extra each year. Imagine the large clinics that can see 2000 visits or more a month?

While not illegal in 48 states (Delaware and South Carolina are currently the only two states in which it is illegal for physicians to have ownership in physical therapy practices), it is not good for the general public and the educated consumer should know that there are other options for physical therapy services. Most physicians will offer you a choice (closest to your house, trained in your condition, accept your insurance as in-network, and so on), be weary of those that don't and insist you utilize their therapists. This is often quantified with any of the following: "I can keep up with your condition much better if you go to our therapists," "You trust us for your care, why wouldn't you trust our therapists," "We offer one-stop shopping for all of your healthcare needs," and any other catch phrase designed to make you feely guilty for not using the recommended therapists.

Myth 11: All healthcare providers are Saints and would never attempt to commit fraud.

The potential for fraud is there in any business and is not just limited to physician owned physical therapy services. There are unfortunately physical therapists in all settings that attempt to commit fraud to reap the benefits. This goes back to the concept of transparency. Ask for a copy of the itemized charge sheet after each visit. Compare this to the explanation of payments and make sure they match up. Do not be afraid to speak up if they do not!

Myth 12: Physical therapists are looking to become independent practitioners that have no need for any other healthcare providers.

The American Physical Therapy Association Vision 2020 statement indicates that by the year 2020 physical therapists will be Doctors of Physical Therapy and will be autonomous practitioners. Many are trying to construe this to mean that physical therapists will no longer need to communicate with any other healthcare providers. Instead what it means is that like any other medical specialist the decision making process for the physical therapist will be independently managed by the physical therapist. Information regarding the client will be shared with any other healthcare provider or physician as medically necessary for the treatment of that client. It will mean that the licensed physical therapist will assume greater responsibility for the treatment of the client, within their scope of practice, and will accept greater accountability for their actions as well.