Effect of Patient Use of Physical Therapy After Referral for Musculoskeletal Conditions on Future Medical Utilization: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis

Supraspinatus fatty infiltration on MRI among older adults receiving physical therapy as initial management for clinically suspected rotator cuff tear: A pilot study

“…Physical therapists encounter patients through two basic referral patterns: Patients are either referred to a physical therapist by another health-care provider or a patient may report directly for care though self-referral. [ 17 ] There are several potential causes of shoulder dysfunction. Physical therapists, in general, establish a diagnosis through the assessment of patient age, history of the present illness, relevant medical history, and physical examination.…”

“…[ 7 , 15 , 16 ] Given this fact, physical therapists routinely evaluate older adults following referral from primary care providers, or by patients’ self-referral, and provide initial management for shoulder dysfunction. [ 17 , 18 ] Physical therapists typically diagnosis RC tear based on clinical examination alone, since most physical therapists do not order imaging studies for their patients. [ 19 , 20 ] Thus, in contrast to patients receiving care from orthopedic surgeons, there is a current gap in knowledge about levels of FI and progression of FI over time in the population of patients receiving initial management for RC tear by physical therapists.…”