How many Americans is physical therapy helping?
Physical therapy is a popular way of treating injuries and chronic pain. As a treatment, it often includes exercises and involves helping patients manage pain and motor function. A recent YouGov survey asks how many Americans use physical therapy and whether they found it useful.
Who’s had physical therapy?
According to a March 2024 poll of over 1,000 Americans, half (51%) have, at some point in their lives, received care from a physical therapist.
A large proportion (39%) of young people aged 18-34 have received professional physical therapy, but not as many as older cohorts. Half (50%) of 35-50-year-olds have done so, as well as 60% of those aged 55 or more.
Does physical therapy work?
Of those who have had physical therapy, 86% say they found it helpful. While men and women are equally likely to have had this treatment, men are slightly more likely to experience physical therapy benefits, with 91% of men compared to 83% of women saying that it helps.
Age also apparently has an effect. Of those aged 18-34 who have received physical therapy, 91% say it helped compared to 83% of those 55 and over.
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YouGov Surveys: Serviced provide quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. This study was conducted online in March, 2024, with a nationally representative sample of 1181 adults (aged 18+ years) in the US, using a questionnaire designed by YouGov. Data figures have been weighted by age, race, gender, education, and region to be representative of all adults in the US (18 years or older), and reflect the latest population estimates from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Learn more about YouGov Surveys: Serviced.