FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Florida Physical Therapy Association Launches ‘PT for Pain’ Campaign to Combat Opioid Misuse & Encourage Physical Therapy as a Natural Pain Reliever
www.PTforPain.org Educates Floridians & Helps them Connect with
Local Physical Therapists to Treat a Range of Pain-Related Issues
(Tallahassee, Fla.) – May 29, 2018 – The Florida Physical Therapy Association (FPTA), today launched PT for Pain – www.PTforPain.org – a campaign to reach Floridians living with pain and encourage them to seek treatment through physical therapy. PT for Pain educates users about the power of physical therapy – particularly its role in treating chronic pain and helping people of all ages through rehabilitation, fall prevention and more. PT for Pain also provides a “Find a PT” tool, where Floridians across the state can enter their zip code to connect with a licensed physical therapist and member of the FPTA who specializes in the treatment they need.
“More than 100 million Americans live with pain – and more than 2 million, including thousands of Floridians, have an opioid use disorder,” said FPTA President Jamie, Dyson, PT, DPT. “Our goal with the PT for Pain campaign is to educate Floridians that you’re not meant to take prescription drugs to solve every problem. We want anyone in pain to know that physical therapy is the natural way to treat – not just mask – your pain, restore function and prevent disability in people of all ages.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American College of Physicians and the President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction all recommend physical therapy as a first line intervention for acute and chronic pain. In addition, Florida opioid legislation signed this year by Gov. Rick Scott requires controlled substance prescribers to receive continuing medical education on nonpharmacological therapies, such as physical therapy.
Dyson continued, “Many people know that physical therapy improves outcomes when paired with other medical treatments, but we want to raise awareness in Florida and across the country that physical therapy can also be used to prevent the need for more invasive and risky medical interventions, such as surgery, opioids and other prescription pain relief.”
In addition to its “Find a PT” tool, the PT for Pain site features key facts about physical therapy, patient testimonial videos, data highlighting physical therapy’s value for payers and the entire health care system, and more. While the FPTA will be promoting the site as a resource for Floridians, it is also an educational tool for all Americans.
About the FPTA
The Florida Physical Therapy Association is the only healthcare professional organization that solely represents the special interests of practicing physical therapists and physical therapist assistants in the state of Florida. The FPTA educates Floridians, healthcare providers, and public policy decision makers about the key role physical therapists and physical therapist assistants play in restoring and improving motion. It is physical therapy that provides prevention, wellness, and rehabilitative treatment options that improve people’s lives. Learn more at www.FPTA.org.