Message: Choose safer ways to manage pain

Wichita, KS -- (ReleaseWire) -- 11/17/2016 -- As Physical Therapy Month concludes, the Kansas Physical Therapy Association (KPTA) begins its first-ever anti-opioid campaign, timed to bring new awareness to the state's families over the holidays.

The premise of the campaign: There are safer ways to treat pain. Not becoming addicted to pain relief drugs starts by not having surgery in the first place when these drugs are prescribed.

"According to the CDC, one out of four patients taking pain killers after surgeries get addicted to these prescription pain medications," said Camille Snyder, PT, DPT and KPTA Vice President. "It's sad, especially considering opioids are largely ineffective for chronic pain. Research has shown that in the case of low back pain, physical therapy management can be more effective than surgery with lower risk and less cost. Additionally, physical therapy doesn't involve utilization of potentially addictive medications but focuses on movement and exercise to manage pain."

However, research conducted by the American Physical Therapy Association shows that physical therapy is rarely used as a first treatment for pain. The APTA is campaigning to raise awareness of physical therapy as a first treatment strategy to reduce the frequency of opioid prescriptions. In most states, including Kansas, patients have direct access to physical therapy and do not need to obtain a referral from their primary physician.

"Access to physical therapy has never been easier," Snyder said.

The statistics show the darker side of surgery where drugs are prescribed.

Since 1999, deaths from prescription opioid use have quadrupled. 75 percent of heroin use starts from abuse of prescription opioids. In 2015, nearly 30 percent of Medicare beneficiaries were prescribed opioids.

And this problem is not going away, as 11 percent of adults report having daily pain.

"There is a simple way to greatly reduce this national opioid crisis," said Susie Harms, PT, KPTA President. "Make surgery the second option behind safer first options like physical therapy. Patients are not being presented with non-surgery options first."

In addition to the dangers from prescriptions, surgery costs can be well over 10 times more than the cost of physical therapy, not including the long-term cost from prescriptions.

The KPTA suggests that patients complete a self-assessment pain profile that can be downloaded at its web site, kpta.com. This profile can then be used in patients' discussions with their doctors.

In Kansas, patients can move forward in their lives by direct access to physical therapy and can see a physical therapist directly to explore their pain management options.

For more information, visit kpta.com or the KPTA Facebook page.

About Kansas Physical Therapy Association
The Kansas Physical Therapy Association is the member organization of physical therapists and physical therapist assistants that represents, promotes and advocates for the profession of physical therapy, facilitates best practice and assists members in meeting the physical therapy needs of the community.

To learn more, visit kpta.com.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/kansas-physical-therapy-association-launches-anti-opioid-campaign-743347.htm

Campaign runs during October, National Physical Therapy Month

Wichita, KS -- (ReleaseWire) -- 10/05/2015 -- As part of their "Direct Access" communications campaign during the month of October, The Kansas Physical Therapy Association (KPTA) has announced the launch of the #ILoveMyPT social media shoutout to recognize Kansas' physical therapists who have helped improve the lives of their patients.

The social media event comes at the midpoint of National Physical Therapy Month.

KPTA's goal is to have each of Kansas' 105 counties represented in this social media event.

"Share your active lifestyle pictures, share your own stories," says Susie Harms, PT, President of the Kansas Physical Therapy Association. "Physical therapy is all about living your best life. Talk about it and encourage others. Give a shoutout to your PT and inspire hope!"

KPTA encourages physical therapy patients whose lives have been forever improved by physical therapy to go to social media sites like Facebook and Twitter and give a "shoutout" to their specific PT, or physical therapy in general, all to raise awareness in Kansas about the value physical therapy brings to an individual's overall health and wellness.

"If you talk to physical therapists throughout the state," says Kurt Stork, a practicing PT and long-time member of the KPTA, "you'll hear stories about how PTs have helped their patients achieve their goals of returning to their once active lives — typically after suffering a physical challenge, whether it be a sports injury or other extreme physical setback. PTs work miracles for thousands of Kansans each year."

Physical therapists work with patients of all ages and abilities to expand, restore and maintain motion. Treatment plans can be designed for the patient's individual goals, challenges and needs. In many cases, patients develop an ongoing relationship with their physical therapist to maintain optimum health and movement abilities across their lifespan.

In July of 2013, the Kansas legislature granted direct access for the first time in the state's history. This means patients can go directly to their physical therapist first to seek relief from painful conditions that limit their ability to move. This is the first effort by KPTA to inform Kansans of direct access, which can help save them co-pays and get them feeling better, faster.

The three-month campaign runs from early October through December, and encourages Kansans to interact with physical therapists and to celebrate healthier, more active living. The campaign focuses on social media and videos to communicate the benefits of direct access, as well as how Kansans' lives have been improved through physical therapy.

Those who wish to give a shoutout to their physical therapists may do so at Facebook or on Twitter.

"Real people make real progress with their very real PT, and this is a real opportunity to say thank you now and celebrate significant personal achievements," says Camille Snyder, an officer with the KPTA. "So, go online and take a moment to say 'thank you, you rock' to your favorite PT. It means the world to these dedicated professionals."

For those who need a physical therapist, finding a neighborhood PT is made simple by visiting kpta.com, which features a "Find a Physical Therapist" tool. The site also has more information on Direct Access for new and existing physical therapy patients.

"It would be really exciting for the state's dedicated physical therapists to experience some love," says Camille Snyder. "Physical therapists give so much energy and support over time to their patients. In most cases PTs establish a close rapport, oftentimes through challenging situations, which is important to helping patients believe that they'll improve."

About Kansas Physical Therapy Association
The Kansas Physical Therapy Association is a member organization of physical therapists and physical therapist assistants that represents, promotes and advocates for the profession of physical therapy, facilitates best practice and assists members in meeting the physical therapy needs of the community.

To learn more, visit kpta.com.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/kansas-physical-therapy-association-launches-ilovemypt-social-media-shoutout-630538.htm

Kansans save valuable time and money going directly to a physical therapist Campaign runs during National Physical Therapy Month

Wichita, KS -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/17/2015 -- The Kansas Physical Therapy Association (KPTA) has announced the launch of their "Direct Access" communications campaign which has the goal of educating Kansans about their new freedom to be treated by a physical therapist (PT) without a physician's referral.

In July of 2013, the Kansas legislature granted direct access for the first time in the state's history. This is the first effort by the KPTA to inform Kansans. The campaign occurs during "National Physical Therapy Month," which has been recognized with proclamations from the State of Kansas, as well as nine Kansas communities throughout the state.

The three-month campaign runs from early October through December and encourages Kansans to interact with physical therapists and to celebrate healthier, more active living. The campaign focuses on social media and videos to communicate the benefits of direct access as well as how Kansans' lives have been improved through physical therapy. In the middle of National Physical Therapy Month, Oct. 15, the KPTA will host #ILoveMyPT and encourage shoutouts on social media to recognize Kansas physical therapists. The goal is to get a shoutout from each of Kansas' 105 counties.

"Going direct to a physical therapist is a big deal for Kansans," says Susie Harms, PT, President of the Kansas Physical Therapy Association. "Going direct saves time, saves co-pays, and gets healing going faster so patients can resume the active, healthy lifestyle they desire."

Recent research suggests that treatment by a physical therapist is an equally effective and cheaper alternative to surgery and prescription drugs for numerous conditions ranging from back pain and degenerative disk disease to meniscal tears and knee osteoarthritis.

In support, a recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine found no significant difference between individuals who received surgery and those who received physical therapy to treat meniscal tears and knee osteoarthritis — thus avoiding the unnecessarily invasive procedure and related costs.

Physical therapy is also used to manage/reduce pain and optimize mobility from arthritis, back pain, knee pain, joint pain, obesity, osteoporosis, overuse injuries, stroke, sprains, strains, fractures and more.

"PTs and doctors will always work closely together," says Kurt Stork, a practicing PT and long-time member of the KPTA. "If patients can avoid surgery, it's nearly always the preferred route. Surgery should be the treatment of last recourse, and that's what makes direct access to physical therapy so valuable for Kansans. The state is lucky to have it."

All 50 states allow direct access to physical therapist evaluation and the vast majority allow some form of treatment that is unrestricted or provisional in nature.

Finding a neighborhood physical therapist is made simple by visiting kpta.com, which features a "Find A PT" tool. The site also has more information on direct access for new and existing physical therapy patients.

To participate in educating friends and family about direct access to physical therapists, the KPTA asks that those who have benefited from PT "like" facebook.com/kptapage and participate at twitter.com/kpta.

Physical therapists work with patients of all ages and abilities to expand, restore and maintain motion. Treatment plans can be designed for the patient's individual goals, challenges and needs. In many cases, patients develop an ongoing relationship with their physical therapist to maintain optimum health and movement abilities across their lifespan.

"It would be really exciting for the state's dedicated physical therapists to experience some love," says Camille Snyder, an officer with the KPTA. "Physical therapists give so much energy and support over time to their patients. In most cases, PT's establish a close rapport that is so important to helping patients believe that they'll improve, oftentimes through challenging situations."

About Kansas Physical Therapy Association
The Kansas Physical Therapy Association is the member organization of physical therapists and physical therapist assistants that represents, promotes and advocates for the profession of physical therapy, facilitates best practice and assists members in meeting the physical therapy needs of the community.

To learn more, visit kpta.com

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/kansas-physical-therapy-association-launches-go-direct-campaign-625827.htm