Precision Medicine and Physical Therapy: A Healthy Living Medicine Approach for the Next Century

Abstract

There is a reciprocal relationship between common health conditions encountered in physical therapist practice, disability, and healthy living factors, such as physical inactivity, blood pressure, sleep quality, diet, and obesity. This relationship is apparent across all practice settings. Physical therapists are well positioned in the health care system to mitigate chronic disease by routinely screening and addressing healthy living factors to improve overall health and lower the risk for chronic disease (healthy living medicine). However, there are several challenges to the successful implementation of this framework in physical therapist practice. This Perspective will elucidate this relationship between healthy living behaviors and physical therapist practice, review the current state of practice regarding screening and intervention of 5 key healthy living behaviors, and outline future steps the profession can take toward implementing precision medicine using a healthy living medicine approach.