As a physical therapist, I’ll be one of the first people to admit that I have truly become a better therapist by learning from and collaborating with many great personal trainers and strength coaches.
I say that because I fear that some physical therapists do not feel this way. Maybe it is ego, stubbornness, or even a perceived turf war, but I’m not sure why every therapist doesn’t.
We are all technically in the same field. Sure, I perform physical therapy, and you perform personal training. Those are our respective “products”. However, we provide the same “commodity” to the general public—we help people attain optimal health and function.
In the broad spectrum of care, I see it as helping people “feel better, move better, and perform better.” While I think both physical therapists and personal trainers can help people achieve all three of those goals, I am certain that collaborating will surely provide the best service to our clients.
And isn’t that what it is all really about? Helping our clients?
How to Maximize Collaboration Between Physical Therapists and Personal Trainers
I am excited to announce that I have collaborated with Jon Goodman to coauthor an article on maximizing collaboration between physical therapists and personal trainers.
Jon has authored several great books (I recommend all therapists read his book Ignite the Fire to enhance our skills) and is the creator of The Personal Trainer Development Center (PTDC).
Jon and I jumped on a call about a month ago with no agenda and just started chatting. One of the things we discussed was the concept of this article. We took the approach of the two of us writing our own pieces from our own perspectives and then putting them together.
It is a must-read for all physical therapists, personal trainers, and strength coaches. Hope you enjoy:
