The Movement Era: Great Trends, But They're Not Physical Therapy

"Movement Washing" Not A Cure

Quicktake: Movement is having a moment — and I’m here for it. From “movement snacks” to workplace wellness programs, Americans are finally thinking about their bodies beyond their latest Netflix binge. But here’s the thing: while I’m genuinely excited about this cultural shift, we need to talk about the elephant in the room. These well-intentioned initiatives are increasingly being marketed as substitutes for actual physical therapy care. Movement promotion ≠ movement medicine. Let’s dive into why this matters for our profession and, more importantly, for the patients who need us most.

We’re living in what I’m calling “The Movement Era.” And honestly? It’s about time.

Everywhere you turn, there’s a new movement initiative, app, or trend promising to revolutionize how we think about our bodies. From corporate wellness programs to viral TikTok challenges, movement has never been more mainstream. Your nephew’s doing “movement snacks” between Zoom calls, your boss instituted walking meetings, and even your grandmother has a posture app on her phone.

As physical therapists, this should make us ecstatic, right? Well, yes and no. Let me explain.

The Movement Revolution Has Arrived (And It’s Everywhere)

The landscape of movement promotion has exploded faster than PT school tuition costs. Here are the most prominent initiatives gaining traction:

Movement Snacks — Those brief, 2–5 minute movement breaks designed to interrupt prolonged sitting. Think desk stretches, wall push-ups, or simple mobility exercises performed throughout the day. The corporate world has embraced these like they discovered a new productivity hack (spoiler: they kind of did).

Micro-Workouts — Short bursts of exercise lasting 5–15 minutes, often targeting specific muscle groups. These can be done multiple times daily without requiring a gym membership or even changing out of your business casual. Because apparently, we’ve collectively decided that traditional 60-minute workouts are as outdated as fax machines.

Movement Mapping — Apps and programs that track your movement patterns throughout the day, encouraging users to hit certain movement “targets.” These apps are more persistent than a new grad asking about their productivity bonus, constantly pinging you to move.

Workplace Movement Programs — Corporate initiatives ranging from standing desks and walking meetings to on-site movement breaks. Companies are spending more on ergonomic assessments than some PT clinics make in a month.

Movement Meditation — Practices combining mindfulness with gentle movement, like walking meditation or tai chi-inspired routines. It’s meditation for people who can’t sit still, and honestly, that’s most of us.

Functional Movement Screens — Popularized assessments evaluating basic movement patterns, now used everywhere from CrossFit boxes to corporate wellness programs. Because nothing says “workplace wellness” like watching your accountant attempt an overhead squat.

Postural Restoration Programs — Approaches focusing on correcting common postural imbalances through specific exercises. These programs are multiplying faster than “text neck” diagnoses.

Movement Challenges — Social media-driven initiatives encouraging specific exercises for set periods. Community accountability meets dopamine hits from likes and shares.

The Good News (And There’s Plenty)

Let me be crystal clear: I’m genuinely thrilled about this movement revolution. After decades of watching Americans become increasingly sedentary while healthcare costs skyrocketed, seeing movement become trendy feels like Christmas morning.

These initiatives are:

• Raising awareness about movement’s importance (finally!)

• Making movement accessible to people who’d rather get a root canal than join a gym

• Breaking down barriers by requiring minimal time, space, or equipment

• Creating community around shared movement goals

• Preventing some injuries by getting people out of their “computer slump” position

• Improving general well-being for millions of people who desperately need it

The research supporting regular movement is more robust than a Medicare reimbursement cut. We know that breaking up sedentary time improves circulation, reduces musculoskeletal pain, enhances cognitive function, and supports overall health. These programs are getting people moving who otherwise wouldn’t, and that’s undeniably positive.

Plus, anything that gets Americans thinking about their posture instead of just their social media posture is a win in my book.

But Here’s the Problem (You Knew This Was Coming)

While I’m celebrating these trends, I’m increasingly concerned about the blurring of lines between general movement promotion and actual physical therapy. Too often, I see these initiatives marketed or perceived as substitutes for professional care.

Movement snacks are not movement medicine. There’s a fundamental difference between encouraging healthy movement habits and providing skilled therapeutic intervention for movement dysfunction.

Consider this reality check: if someone has chronic low back pain from a herniated disc, shoulder impingement from years of hunching over spreadsheets, or knee pain from patellofemoral syndrome, no amount of generic movement breaks will address the underlying biomechanical, strength, or mobility issues contributing to their condition.

It’s like treating diabetes with sugar-free gum. Sure, it’s better than regular gum, but it’s not insulin.

The Physical Therapy Difference (What We Actually Do)

Physical therapy is fundamentally different from movement promotion:

We’re Diagnostic — We don’t just prescribe movement; we first understand why movement is impaired, painful, or dysfunctional. We’re detectives with degrees in human movement.

We’re Individualized — Every intervention is tailored to the specific person, their condition, their goals, and their unique movement patterns. One size fits none when it comes to rehabilitation.

We’re Progressive — We systematically advance treatment based on healing timelines, functional improvements, and objective measures. Not just “do this for 30 days and see what happens.”

We’re Evidence-based — Our interventions are grounded in research specific to conditions, not general wellness principles or whatever’s trending on Instagram.

We’re Skilled — We use manual therapy techniques, specialized equipment, and clinical reasoning that goes far beyond “stretch your hip flexors.” (Though honestly, most people should stretch their hip flexors.)

We’re Problem-solvers — When something isn’t working, we modify our approach based on clinical assessment, not generic algorithms or user reviews.

The Risk of “Movement Washing”

I’ve coined the term “movement washing” to describe the phenomenon where general movement initiatives are presented as comprehensive solutions to complex musculoskeletal problems. It’s similar to “greenwashing” in environmental marketing — using broad, appealing concepts to suggest more substantial benefits than what’s actually delivered.

This isn’t malicious. Most movement programs are created with genuinely good intentions. But when someone with legitimate movement dysfunction relies solely on generic movement apps or workplace wellness programs, they may delay seeking appropriate care, potentially allowing their condition to worsen or become chronic.

It’s like using a bandage for a broken bone — well-intentioned, but ultimately inadequate.

The Numbers Don’t Lie (They Never Do)

Here’s the reality that keeps me up at night: Physical therapy remains the most underutilized service for musculoskeletal conditions, with only 10–12% of patients with aches, pains, sprains, and strains accessing a physical therapist for care. Meanwhile, movement apps and wellness programs are booming.

If used first or early in the course of treatment, physical therapy demonstrates over 40% savings in healthcare costs. Yet we’re watching people spend money on movement subscriptions while avoiding the care they actually need.

It’s like having a Ferrari in your garage while walking to work because you heard exercise is good for you.

Finding Our Way Forward

So how do we navigate this movement-rich landscape as physical therapy professionals?

Embrace the movement culture — Celebrate and support these initiatives. They’re getting people moving and thinking about their bodies positively. That’s our ultimate goal anyway.

Educate about the difference — Help people understand when general movement promotion is appropriate versus when skilled intervention is needed. We’re not competing with movement apps; we’re complementing them.

Refer appropriately — If someone has pain persisting despite movement initiatives, dysfunction limiting daily activities, or conditions requiring specific rehabilitation, they need PT, not just more movement.

Collaborate when possible — Work with employers, fitness professionals, and wellness programs to create referral pathways and educational opportunities. We’re all on the same team here.

The Bottom Line (And It’s Important)

The Movement Era is here, and it’s largely positive. More people are moving, thinking about their posture, and taking breaks from sedentary behavior. These trends support the broader goals we’ve been advocating for years — often while swimming upstream against reimbursement cuts and workforce shortages.

But movement promotion and physical therapy serve different purposes. One is about general wellness and injury prevention; the other is about skilled intervention for specific movement problems.

As physical therapists, our role isn’t to compete with movement trends but to complement them. We should celebrate the movement revolution while ensuring people understand that when movement becomes painful, limited, or dysfunctional, there’s a difference between movement promotion and movement medicine.

Remember: we’re the profession with the highest levels of knowledge in managing musculoskeletal conditions among all medical providers (yes, even compared to orthopedic surgeons). Let’s not let generic movement programs overshadow what we actually bring to the table.

The goal isn’t to discourage movement initiatives — it’s to help people understand when they need to graduate from movement snacks to movement therapy.

And hey, if you’re enjoying this perspective on the intersection of wellness trends and professional healthcare, consider sharing this post. Because while movement apps have algorithms, we have something better: clinical expertise backed by decades of research and the ability to actually fix what’s broken.

What’s your experience with patients who’ve tried movement programs before seeking PT? Are you seeing the same “movement washing” phenomenon in your practice? Share your thoughts — I’d love to hear thoughts from the trenches.

larry

@physicaltherapy