With public health missions that overlap significantly, APTA and the Arthritis Foundation have long been natural partners in battling the country's leading cause of disability. Now that partnership has been formalized.

On August 13, the Arthritis Foundation and APTA announced a memorandum of agreement "to advance collaboration between the two organizations to advance both organizations’ missions and desire to advance the health of communities and individuals through movement, physical activity, and exercise." The formal partnership will place an emphasis on cooperation in the promotion of nonpharmacological approaches to arthritis, the reduction of prior authorization for treatment by a PT, and the advancement of the physical therapy profession as a channel to improve the quality of life for individuals with arthritis.

The agreement affirms both organizations' commitment to exchanging information, joining in advocacy efforts and public statements, and developing a liaison relationship to strengthen communication between the groups.

"The Arthritis Foundation is a champion of the idea that movement is medicine, and APTA has proudly contributed to and promoted the foundation's efforts that range from community health initiatives to clinician education," said APTA CEO Justin Moore, PT, DPT. "This agreement solidifies our relationship and paves the way for impactful collaboration in the future."

The Arthritis Foundation is the world's largest arthritis advocacy organization, with a strong voice on Capitol Hill and a highly visible public profile. The organization joins a formal APTA partnership program that includes the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy, the American College of Sports Medicine, the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy, Move Together, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Special Olympics.