5. Am I able to provide personal training using my physical therapy credentials?
Your license as a physical therapist does not authorize you to be a personal trainer. If you are not a certified personal trainer and would be using your knowledge and skills obtained through your education and experience as a physical therapist, you are bound by the provisions in the PT Practice Act/Rules. If you are […]
4. Can I conduct general group classes to promote health, wellness, and fitness without obtaining a referral and performing an evaluation for each member of the class?
If an attendee wants you to address a specific problem that they are having, you can evaluate the problem without a referral. Managing the patient/client by providing an intervention to specifically address the problem would require a referral unless applying the provisions of treatment without a referral. See PT Rules 322.1. (a)(2)(A) and (D)-(G).
3. Do I need to follow the physical therapy rules and regulations when providing health, wellness, and fitness services?
Yes, there is no provision in the Act/Rules that provides an exception when providing health, wellness, and fitness interventions to a client.
2. Do I need a referral in order to provide health, wellness, and fitness services to a client?
PT Practice Act Sec. 453.302. (c) and PT Rules §322.1. (a)(2)(B) authorize a PT to provide instructions to any person who is asymptomatic relating to the instructions being given without a referral, including instruction to promote health, wellness, and fitness. Interventions provided beyond this exception to referral must adhere to the provisions in the PT […]
1. Is providing health, wellness, and fitness programs within the physical therapy scope of practice?
Yes, programs that promote health, wellness, and fitness are within the scope of physical therapy practice. When you use your knowledge, skills, and credentials as a physical therapy licensee to provide a service that is within the scope of PT practice, you are providing physical therapy services.