Storming the Capitol

Mom joined 800 other Washington physical therapists in Olympia for a Legislative Action Day. While she was there she spoke with representatives in her legislative district to urge them to support HB 1673 and SB 5549 to allow physical therapists in Washington to perform spinal manipulation. Washington is one of only two states (Arkansas being the other one) that does not allow physical therapists to perform spinal manipulations. As a PT in the federal health care system, Mom is allowed to do spinal manipulations and has been using these techniques effectively and safely daily for the past 11 years. In fact, she is pictured here with four other physical therapists in her clinic, with a total of 59 years of experience performing spinal manipulations. (Dan Rhon, on the left, even has an advanced Doctorate of Science in Manual Physical Therapy and has published multiple studies on the subject.) All are Washington residents or are from Washington, yet none of them would be allowed to use this skill if working as a civilian in Washington. You can bet that makes a difference when considering employment in this state. You, the consumer, lose!

Now it's your turn. Please take a moment to write to your state representative and senator to encourage them to support these bills. (Dad, this definitely means you!) This will improve the physical therapy care available for you and your family. You can find your legislators here: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/districtfinder/.

Here are some talking points:
-Evidence-based medicine shows that spinal manipulation for a select group of patients with subacute low back pain and neck pain is a beneficial and cost-effective treatment. The majority of these studies were performed by physical therapists (not chiropractors).
-For over 70 years, physical therapists have been educated and trained to practice manual therapy, including spinal manipulation techniques. In fact, the literature supporting the use of manipulation by physical therapists dates back to 1925.
-All three of the physical therapy schools in Washington (University of Puget Sound, University of Washington, and Eastern Washington University) teach spinal manipulation to their students. In fact, these schools must teach spinal manipulation to remain accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education. All students of these programs graduate with a clinical Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree. Many leave the state because of concern that they can’t practice with evidence-based best standards of care.
-Patients and our health care system overall will save money in their healthcare treatment. It is costly, both in time and money, to seek treatment from two providers when only one is necessary.
-In 1999, the Department of Health conducted a sunrise review, which concluded that physical therapists should be able to perform spinal manipulation.

Thank you for your support!