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The scope of practice for physical therapists is dynamic, evolving with evidence, education, and societal needs.
The scope of practice for physical therapists has three components: professional, jurisdictional, and personal.
The professional scope of practice is grounded in the profession’s unique body of knowledge, supported by educational preparation, based on a body of evidence, and linked to existing or emerging practice frameworks.
The jurisdictional (i.e., legal) scope of practice is established by a state's practice act governing the specific physical therapist’s license, and the rules adopted pursuant to that act. The Model Practice Act for Physical Therapy (MPA) is the preeminent standard and most effective tool at the state level for revising and modernizing physical therapy practice acts via legislation.
Personal scope of practice consists of activities for which an individual physical therapist is educated and trained and their competence to perform.
Recommended Content
Feb 9, 2023 / Website
The Guide is the description of physical therapist practice for use by PT and PTA educators, students, and clinicians.
Sep 13, 2017 / Policies & Bylaws
House position: An individual physical therapist’s scope of practice is influenced by professional, jurisdictional, and personal scopes of practice.
Additional Scope of Practice Content
Oct 8, 2025 / News
Oct 1, 2025 / Feature
PTs and PTAs are showing that care gets stronger — and outcomes improve — when providers work side by side.
Aug 1, 2025 / Column
At the coldest, driest, and windiest place on Earth, a PT finds renewed purpose by treating a deeply motivated population.
Jul 1, 2025 / Feature
Hospital-level care is moving into patients’ homes — and PTs are helping lead the way in this evolving model.
Jun 1, 2025 / Feature
How incorporating physical therapists in emergency medicine can improve patient outcomes.
May 5, 2025 / Article
From human performance teams to primary care PTs, discover six powerful stories showcasing the intersection of physical therapy and the armed forces.
May 1, 2025 / Feature
See how five clinicians use their expertise in uncommon areas.
Feb 1, 2025 / Column
How becoming the patient changed the clinical perspective of this clinician.
Feb 1, 2025 / Feature
Changes to Medicare in 2025 will impact requirements for PT supervision of PTAs. Do they make direct supervision obsolete?
Jan 14, 2025 / Perspective
How physical therapists contribute to a multidisciplinary approach to improving the health of soldiers.