About Physical Therapy
The Physical Therapy team provides advanced evaluation and management of patients who are acutely or chronically ill with musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiopulmonary, and other disorders. Goals include restoration or maintenance of sensory and motor abilities to prevent, reverse, or minimize functional limitations/disabilities.
Physical Therapy professionals provide patients with state-of-the-art evidence-based treatments (i.e. based on research) beginning with patient assessment and continued with therapeutic interventions designed to result in the highest levels of functional activities. Physical Therapy care begins at bedside and progresses to techniques supportive of recreation and employment.
Physical Therapists at the NIH Clinical Center are able to distinguish among disabilities, functional limitations, and impairments in their treatment plans. The Physical Therapy clinical, research and education programs at the National Institutes of Health are as richly diverse as the patient populations. The combined goal of these programs is for the patient to ultimately achieve the highest level of function possible.