Belanger Alain-Yvan, Selkowitz David M, Lawson Daryl
Rehabilitation Université Laval.
MGH Institute of Health Professions.
Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2023 Oct 2;18(5):1230-1237. doi: 10.26603/001c.87813. eCollection 2023.
Electrophysical agents (EPAs) are core therapeutic interventions in academic physical therapy curricula around the world. They are used concomitantly with several other therapeutic interventions such as exercise, manual therapy techniques, medications, and surgery for the management of a wide variety of soft tissue disorders. Over the past decade, the practice of EPAs has been the subject of intense scrutiny in the U.S. This has been colored by some physical therapists publicly engaging in bashing rhetoric that has yet to be officially and publicly addressed by the guiding organizations which, together, regulate the practice of physical therapy in this country. Published in world renowned public media are unsubstantiated mocking remarks against the practice of EPAs and unethical allegations against its stakeholders. This rhetoric suggests that EPA interventions are "magical" treatments and that those practitioners who include them in their plans of care may be committing fraud. Such bashing rhetoric is in striking contradiction to the APTA's Guide to Physical Therapist Practice 4.0, which lists EPAs as one of its categories of interventions, the CAPTE's program accreditation policy, and the FSBPT's national licensing exam. The purpose of this commentary is to expose the extent of this discourse and to call to action the APTA, CAPTE, and FSBPT organizations, as well as physical therapists, with the aim at putting an end to this rhetoric.
电物理治疗手段（EPAs）是全球物理治疗专业学术课程中的核心治疗干预措施。它们常与其他几种治疗干预措施同时使用，如运动疗法、手法治疗技术、药物治疗和手术，用于管理各种软组织疾病。在过去十年中，电物理治疗手段的应用在美国受到了严格审查。一些物理治疗师公开发表的抨击言论影响了这一情况，而该国规范物理治疗实践的指导组织尚未正式公开回应这些言论。世界著名公共媒体上发表了针对电物理治疗手段应用的毫无根据的嘲讽言论以及对其从业者的不道德指控。这种言论暗示电物理治疗手段的干预是“神奇”疗法，那些将其纳入护理计划的从业者可能存在欺诈行为。这种抨击言论与美国物理治疗协会（APTA）的《物理治疗师实践指南4.0》、美国物理治疗教育认证委员会（CAPTE）的项目认证政策以及美国物理治疗师资格考试委员会（FSBPT）的国家执照考试形成了鲜明矛盾。本评论的目的是揭示这种言论的程度，并呼吁APTA、CAPTE和FSBPT组织以及物理治疗师采取行动，以制止这种言论。
