The US has one of the highest healthcare costs in the world. The cost of health care is 17% of the US GDP or over $4.5 trillion or $13,493 per person in the US. (CMS.gov 2024) The cost for musculoskeletal health (i.e., back, neck, shoulder, knee, and ankle pain) is estimated at $420 billion annually. The bulk of the financial cost comes from surgery, advanced imaging, injections, hospitalization, and chronic use of medication. It may be counterintuitive that physical therapy and chiropractic are treatments that can reduce healthcare spending in the US but the scientific evidence clearly demonstrates its cost effectiveness.
Physical therapists, with their doctorate-level training, are expert healthcare providers. They specialize in improving pain, function, and quality of life through therapeutic exercise, hands-on treatments (manual therapy), modalities, and patient education (treatment and prevention).
Physical therapy treatments in the US are estimated at $30 billion, a mere 7% of the total healthcare cost. This cost-effectiveness is due to non-invasive, evidence-based treatments that reduce pain, improve function, and reduce the need for more expensive treatments. For instance, surgeries (e.g., joint replacements, spinal surgery) can cost up to $50,000, compared to $1,500-5,000 for physical therapy treatments. (APTA, 2023) While surgeries are essential in some cases, physical therapy should be the first choice, offering significant cost savings while delaying or eliminating the need for surgery.
Physical therapy and chiropractic play a crucial role in reducing the need for early advanced imaging (MRI, CT), reducing medication (opioid) use, preventing recurrence, and improving long-term health. This underscores the power of these treatments in empowering patients to make informed healthcare decisions.
Beyond the utilization of physical therapy or chiropractic is the timing of its use. Studies show that early physical therapy or chiropractic intervention significantly reduces total healthcare costs for conditions like low back pain, shoulder injuries, osteoarthritis (knee, hip, shoulder, and ankle), tendonitis (elbow, knee, shoulder), fall prevention, cancer rehabilitation, stress urinary incontinence to mention a few.
For example, in a study of 472,000 Medicare beneficiaries with Low Back Pain, only 13% of physicians used physical therapy as a first-line treatment despite overwhelming evidence of its effectiveness in reducing pain, improving function, and reducing costs. If the 472,000 study participants received physical therapy in the first 15 days, it would have saved the healthcare system 27%. The added benefit of improved function and reduced disability by 45% versus usual care. (Moran Company, Prepared for APTQI, May 2017, Annal Int Med, 2017)
Beyond the scientifically based improvements in pain and functions are the reduced out-of-pocket expenses for patients, reduced insurance payments for private health insurers, and reduced overall health expenditures for the government. The savings go beyond the initial treatment to prevent future medical services. For example, physical therapy services that help prevent falls can reduce admission and readmission rates for emergency departments and hospitals, reduce injury from falls, and improve overall function and health.
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Visit our website for more articles on physical therapy. Learn more about our treatment philosophy, physical therapy staff, and our five convenient locations in Gilbertsville*, Skippack, Barto, Phoenixville*, and Limerick* at www.mishockpt.com.
Dr. Mishock’s book, “The Rubber Arm: Using Science to Increase Pitch Control, Improve Velocity, and Prevent Elbow and Shoulder Injuries,” can be found at train2playsports.com. Dr. Mishock is one of only a few clinicians in Pennsylvania with doctorate-level degrees in physical therapy and chiropractic.
