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Registration by Sweden's National Board of Health and Welfare
This event legitimized the field of physical therapy and granted it full registration in the country of Sweden. It gave it validation as a science and profession. Several countries soon followed. -
Nurses in Great Britain form the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
This event was one of the first conglomerates of physical therapy. These four nurses created the society in part as a result of Sweden's registering physical therapists. -
New Zealand School of Physiotherapy at the University of Otago
The University of Otago's School of Physiotherapy helps portray physical therapy as a serious academic endeavor and profession. Helped to create a curriculum and standardized method of training physical therapists. -
Dresden, Germany
Dresden, Germany is the site of the first sports medicine physician, the first laboratory dedicated to athletic training and advancement, the first medical journal dedicated to sports medicine, and the first sports medicine association. These breakthroughs show how sports medicine was being seen and treated as a more credible science. -
The School of Physiotherapy at Reed College
The first physical therapy school in the United States is opened at Reed College in Oregon. This institution helps to create a standardized curriculum for physical therapy. Gives physical therapy the legitimacy of a rigorous academic endeavor and professional, scientific pursuit. -
Polio Epidemic
The spread of Polio spurred the need for research into the disease, its causes, and its treatment. Physical therapy was used as an avenue to explore these areas. The panic created by the Polio epidemic created urgency for research and increased the need for qualified physical therapists. Research done on muscle testing and muscle regeneration increased dramatically. -
Post-WWI need for rehabilitation
After entering WWI, the U.S had a greater need for PT to rehabilitate injured soldiers. A special unit of the Army (Division od Special Hospitals and Physical Reconstruction) was formed to meet this need. This new Army unit constructed and developed 15 different rehabilitation programs and officially solidified PT as a profession. -
PT practices partner with medical and surgical professions
The partnership of physical therapists with the medical and surgical communities grew resulting in the profession of physical therapy gaining public recognition and validation. This partnership solidified PT's standing as a science. -
AV Hill Nobel Prize
Doctor A.V. Hill was awarded the Nobel Prize of Physiology in 1922. His research on the production of heat in muscles won him the award. This discovery helped doctors and physical therapists begin to understand the workings of the body. -
International Congress of Sports Medicine was founded
This group was founded to prevent sport related injuries. It was first held at the 9th Olympic games. This group was made up of 280 sport physicians from 20 different countries. -
St. Moritz Olympics
The Olympic games held in St. Moritz was the creation of a committee that was given the task of organizing the International Congress of Sports Medicine. This committee helped to create the idea of using medical professionals to help prevent injuries to athletes rather than just treat them, and to make treatment as effective as possible. -
WWII wounded veterans start to return home
Polio continued to ravage the country, which increased the need for physical therapy research and treatment. Large amounts of wounded veterans from WWII returned home with PT needs from injuries suffered during war. -
National Athletic Trainers Association was established
This organization was created to help enhance the quality of health care and to advance the athletic training profession. The addition of this association increased athlete's longevity in their sports as well as allowed them to return to their sport faster than before. -
Physical Therapy gains independence and autonomy
This was a critical time for the profession of Physical Therapy. PT practices started to break away from registrations in hospitals and began to fight for licensure autonomy (right to private practice) increasing the professionalism of the practice. -
American College of Sports Medicine
The ACSM was established to promote scientific research and the education of sports medicine. The group is devoted to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of sports injuries and the progression of exercise as a science. -
The first successful arthroscopic surgery performed
This procedure was performed by Dr. Watanabe in Japan. Through a small incision, arthroscopy gives surgeons more access to look all around the joints and to fix the torn structure while damaging less soft tissue. -
Neuromuscular and Joint Replacement practices increase
Development of techniques for adults with stroke, cerebral palsy, and other disorders of the central nervous system arise. Open-heart surgery and other cardiovascular practices take precedent as well. Postoperative PT increases in demand with the rise of total joint replacements. -
Mexico City Olympic Games
Dr. J.C. Kennedy organized a team of doctors assigned to travel with the Canadian athletes at the 1968 Summer Olympic Games. The doctors were given the task of ensuring the well being of the athletes. This shows a specialty in physician's work dedicated to helping athletes stay in top performing shape. -
Almost all states aquired licensure autonomy
Licensure autonomy allowed Physical Therapy practices to move out of hospitals. Physical Therapists could now choose their own staff, their own rules, and their own practice locations. This move increased the availablity of outpatient PT. -
The American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine was established
The original founders’ goal was to promote research and hold discussions about the future of sports medicine. Today they work with many other sports medicine specialists to improve identification, prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of sports injuries. -
Jacksonville Jaguars
Agreements between professional teams and medical groups to have hospitals act as corporate partners for the team. The hospitals pay for the right to be the official care provider of the team and be advertised as such. The Jacksonville Jaguars are widely regarded as the first professional team to use this model. Previously, teams had payed doctors for their services to the team and players. Hospitals and medical practices bid millions of dollars to be the care providers. -
New Sport medicine advancements
Musculoskeletal ultrasound: imaging technology, which provides real-time images of muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, and soft tissue throughout the body. It helps surgeons repair problems such as tendon tears, rheumatoid arthritis, and bone and soft tissue infections. Which will result in athletes returning to the field quicker and at higher rates than before.
