Thanks to research from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and related groups, dodging the knife in favor of physical therapy (PT) is becoming easier, more accepted by doctors and -- rather importantly -- more accepted by insurance companies. By and large, it's nice to avoid surgery whenever possible. Some notable findings from the APTA include:
- Exercise programs developed by physical trainers can reduce athletes' risk of injury by 41 percent.
- Physical therapy paired with medical management for osteoarthritis of the knee is just as effective as surgery.
- Physical therapy helps over 90 percent of lower back pain sufferers.
- Of physical therapy users, 88 percent say the care they received helped them return to normal activity, increased their range of motion and relieved their pain.
