Musculoskeletal Physical Therapy After COVID-19: Time for a New “Normal”

Abstract

In late 2019, a previously unknown coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 (the coronavirus that causes COVID-19), was reported in Wuhan, China. Similar to the polio virus epidemic, the fear, uncertainty, and collective response associated with COVID-19 have disrupted daily life on a global scale. In this editorial, we argue that it is time for musculoskeletal physical therapists to grasp the opportunity provided by the COVID-19 pandemic to provide care that is (1) primarily active, (2) focused on self-efficacy and self-management, and (3) far less reliant on passive therapies.