Theory-Informed Clinical Practice: How Physical Therapists Can Use Fundamental Interventions to Address Social Determinants of Health.

Abstract

As health care providers, physical therapists have a responsibility to make every effort to meet the needs of their patients and optimize movement health in society; yet significant structural and systemic barriers often prevent patients from reaching their fullest potential. Clinicians can no longer subscribe to a narrow scope of practice focused on individual attainment of therapy goals. This Perspective discusses Fundamental Cause Theory and the Socioecological Model theoretical frameworks that can help physical therapists develop, test, and implement functional interventions to address the needs of society as a whole.