Dr. Shirley Sahrmann presents "100 Years of PT: Where Have We Been and Where Are We Going?"

At its inception physical therapy was considered more of a technical field rather than that of a professional field. Physicians were to diagnose the patient's problem and the therapist was to follow the prescription provided by the physician with the primary purpose being to relieve symptoms such as pain or muscle weakness.

Today, physical therapistsare recognized as movement experts who improve quality of life through hands-on care, patient education, and prescribed movement.

Physical therapists create personalized treatment plans that help their patients improve mobility, manage pain and other chronic conditions, recover from injury, and prevent future injury and chronic disease.

This course reviews the changes that led to this shift and attendees will discuss the changes that will likely impact the profession in the future. 

SHIRLEY A. SAHRMANN, PT, PhD, FAPTA

    Dr. Sahrmann is Professor Emerita of Physical Therapy at Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.  She received her bachelor’s degree in Physical Therapy, masters and doctorate degrees in Neurobiology from Washington University.  She is a Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the American Physical Therapy Association and is a recipient of the Association's Marion Williams Research Award, the Lucy Blair Service Award, and the Kendall Practice award, the Inaugural John H.P. Maley Lecture and Mary McMillan Lecture awards.  Dr. Sahrmann has also received Washington University's Distinguished Faculty Award, the School of Medicine’s Inaugral Distinguished Clinician Award and an honorary doctorate from the University of Indianapolis. She has also received the Bowling-Erhard Orthopedic Clinical Practice Award from the Orthopaedic Section of the APTA.  She has served on the APTA Board of Directors and as president of the Missouri Chapter. 

In addition to her numerous national and international presentations, Dr. Sahrmann has been a keynote speaker at the World Confederation of Physical Therapy, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, Japan, and Danish national congresses.

Dr. Sahrmann’s research interests are in development and validation of classification systems for movement system impairment syndromes as well as in interventions for these syndromes.  Her books, Diagnosis and Treatment of Movement Impairment Syndromes and Movement System Impairment Syndromes of the Cervical and Thoracic Spines and the Extremities, describe the syndromes and methods of treatment.

Objectives: 

• At the end of this session the learner will be able to describe the history of the profession’s focus on human movement.
• At the end of this session the learner will be able to discuss the future of what is means for a physical therapist to optimize movement.

Level: Various - intended for PTs, PTA, and Students

CE: This course has been approved by APTA MO for 1.25 contact hours of CE or .125 CEUs.