The first guiding principle, “Identity,” states the following:
Identity: 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 understand 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.
The APTA Board of Directors (Board) recognized that before we can integrate consistent application of the movement system in physical therapist practice, education, and research, we must agree on a definition of the concept. The Board therefore convened a work group to develop that definition. After careful consideration of various theoretical, linguistic, and conceptual possibilities, the work group decided on a 2-part definition of “human movement system,” which the Board has adopted.