The Movement System

Original Editor - Mariam Hashem

Top Contributors - Mariam Hashem and Lucinda hampton

Introduction

The movement system is identified as the collection of various systems: cardiovascular, pulmonary, endocrine, integumentary, nervous and musculoskeletal that work together in coordination to produce body movement. As physiotherapists we are characterized as movement experts and this shapes our unique identity in the medical society.

In 2013, the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) adopted a new vision, “Transforming society by optimizing movement to improve the human experience.”

This new vision is considered to be an identity for physiotherapists that calls for skills, knowledge and expertise related to the movement system to promote optimal development and prevents activity limitation.

Implications on the Profession

Physiotherapists have always been identified with the treatemnt thy deliver rather than the body of knowledge, clinical reasoning and diagnostic skills. By adopting this new vision, we are directing the way the public and the healthcare professionals approach us.

The first principal of this new vision states the following: “The physical therapy profession will define and promote the movement system as the foundation for optimizing movement to improve the health of society. Recognition and validation of the movement system is essential to understanding the structure, function, and potential of the human body. The physical therapist will be responsible for evaluating and managing an individual's movement system across the lifespan to promote optimal development; diagnose impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions; and provide interventions targeted at preventing or ameliorating activity limitations and participation restrictions. The movement system is the core of physical therapist practice, education, and research''.

Prior to this, physiotherapists have been using the movement system in their practice but when it wasn't promoted as the foundation or conceptual framework of our practice.

Implications on the Clinical Practice

Adapting the movement system sets a clinical framework for physiotherapists to use a holistic approach when assessing and treating individuals.

To translate this to the clinical practice read the following examples:

• When addressing patellofemoral pain, assessment and treatment should include other joints such as the hip and ankle
• Assessing patients with high risk of falls, the assessment shouldn't be exclusive to postural and musculoskeletal abnormalities. Other contributing factors, such as neurological or cardiovascular impairements should be put into considerations, ruled out and adderssed if found.
• The development of the classification system to replace medical diagnosis that doesn't guide the physical therapy intervention