[KS1131-1] Identity of Physical Therapy―The Human Movement System
Over the past 100 years a major change has taken place in the understanding of disease and disorders. That change is the realization that lifestyle, particularly diet and physical activity, is a major factor in the maintenance of health and prevention of diseases. Historically by definition, physical therapy was treatment by physical means which meant exercise and a symptom relieving modality that was provided based upon a physician's diagnosis and prescription. Now most conditions are considered to be developed over a long period of time resulting from cumulative effects. The practice of medicine, once initially based on anatomical localization is now more and more based on cell biology and genetics. Thus even though physical activity which is movement, is a critical factor in health, expertise in kinesiology and anatomy is not part of medical education. The accumulating evidence that movement is indeed complex and when performed optimally can prevent or slow the development of musculoskeletal pain and that conditioning is important in the prevention of endocrine, cardiac and oncological disease as well to patients with musculoskeletal pain and neurological lesions. Yet to be able to exercise and not induce tissue injuries requires monitoring by a movement expert.
In 2013 the American Physical Therapy Association adopted a statement of a vision of“transforming society by optimizing movement to enhance the human experience.” In the guidelines accompanying the vision is the statement of identity. The Movement System is the core of physical therapist practice, education, and research. The human movement system is defined as“comprising the anatomic structures and physiologic functions that interact to move the body or its component parts.” This presentation will discuss the details of the movement system and implications of being a movement system expert. One of the implications is emphasizing the kinesiopathologic and the pathokinesiologic problem rather than a major focus on the pathoanatomic problem. This means defining movement analysis examination and movement syndromes. The role as a lifespan practitioner and of providing yearly visits for assessment of the movement system is also considered intrinsic to the identity. This presentation will describe movement system impairment syndromes of the lumbar spine and shoulder as examples of the diagnoses physical therapist should make.
In 2013 the American Physical Therapy Association adopted a statement of a vision of“transforming society by optimizing movement to enhance the human experience.” In the guidelines accompanying the vision is the statement of identity. The Movement System is the core of physical therapist practice, education, and research. The human movement system is defined as“comprising the anatomic structures and physiologic functions that interact to move the body or its component parts.” This presentation will discuss the details of the movement system and implications of being a movement system expert. One of the implications is emphasizing the kinesiopathologic and the pathokinesiologic problem rather than a major focus on the pathoanatomic problem. This means defining movement analysis examination and movement syndromes. The role as a lifespan practitioner and of providing yearly visits for assessment of the movement system is also considered intrinsic to the identity. This presentation will describe movement system impairment syndromes of the lumbar spine and shoulder as examples of the diagnoses physical therapist should make.