Why are Physical Therapists Considered the "Movement Experts"?

Have you ever heard physical therapists referred to as the “Movement Experts”?
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Physical therapists have earned the title the “Movement Experts” over the years due to certain aspects of their education and career. Like many other health professions we study human anatomy, but for physical therapists, there is also a large focus on the study of human movement and how it relates to how someone functions.
 
Because of this, physical therapists are particularly keen on identifying movement dysfunctions and treating them. For example, if you are having pain in one area we won’t just look at that specific area, but we will need to take a big picture look at everything. We are trained specifically to look at how everything is working together in your body. We look at how you are performing specific movements that you need to perform, and we see how everything is working together in your body.
 
We are trained to identify those issues and movements that are contributing to your pain or whatever problem you are having. Then we treat that so that you are able to get back to what you want to do. It’s not just about reducing pain but also about being able to function better.

​- Marlene Gomez, PT, DPT