Do you want to start a physical therapy business but you want to go niche? If YES, here are 20 best physical therapy business ideas and opportunities.
Physical therapy (PT) which is also known as physiotherapy, is one of the allied health professions that, by using evidence-based kinesiology, electrotherapy, shockwave modality, exercise prescription, joint mobilization and health education, treats conditions such as chronic or acute pain, soft tissue injuries, cartilage damage, arthritis, gait disorders and physical impairments typically of musculoskeletal, cardiopulmonary, neurological and endocrinological origins.
Physical therapy is used to improve a patient’s physical functions through physical examination, diagnosis, prognosis, physical intervention, rehabilitation and patient education. It is practiced by physical therapists (known as physiotherapists in many countries).
Best Physical Therapy Business ideas
If you are interested in starting a business in that revolves around physical therapy, then you should consider opening your own acupuncture clinic.
Generally, acupuncture which is a complementary medical practice is treatment technique that involves stimulating certain points on the body, most often with a needle penetrating the skin, to alleviate pain or to help treat various health conditions; it is a complete medical protocol focused on correcting imbalances of energy in the body.
Ayurveda is a system of medicine with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. Globalized and modernized practices derived from Ayurveda traditions are a type of alternative medicine.
In countries beyond india, Ayurveda therapies and practices have been integrated in general wellness applications and in some cases in medical use.
Good enough, Ayurveda form of treatment has gradually made entry into the US alternative medicine industry and there is indeed a market for Ayurveda clinics in the united states of America.
Chiropractic is a form of alternative medicine that involves the diagnosis and treatment of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, mainly the spine, under the belief that these disorders affect general health via the nervous system.
There is no way you will talk about alternative medicine that you will not have to mention chiropractors; this is so because it is the largest alternative medical profession. Chiropractors often aspire to become primary care providers, despite the fact that most of them lack the necessary medical and diagnostic skills to operate as one.
When we talk about physical or massage therapy business, we are talking of a profitable business that involves offering healthcare related services that helps people get fully healed from an ailment or to help people soothe their muscle soreness, improve their sleep, boost their immune system function, increase their mental alertness, ease the effects of cancer treatment, alleviate depression, and ultimately reduce stress.
Generally, physical/massage therapists provide health and wellness services, such as therapeutic massage, sports massage, and other similar services.
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Open an Osteopathy Clinic
Osteopathy a system of complementary medicine involving the treatment of medical disorders through the manipulation and massage of the skeleton and musculature.
Please note that even though osteopathy and chiropractic usually work together, it is important to state that there are a few key differences between them.
The most predominant difference is that Chiropractors will focus mainly on the spine whereas Osteopaths take a more holistic approach and concentrate on the whole body. Chiropractors are also the more ‘joint focused’ of the two professions.
Another physical therapy related business idea that an entrepreneur with the right training and skill can successfully start is a medical spa. Medical spa treatments unlike the regular spas pay detailed attention to more difficult issues such as wide spread discoloration and wrinkles.
These treatments include deeper chemical peels, injections (such as Botox), and laser treatments. Medical spa is a niche idea in the Health and Wellness Spas industry and businesses in this industry offer spa services, such as physical massages, facials and body treatments.
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Open a Spa Hotel
If you have the required startup capital and you are interested in starting a physical therapy related business, then you should consider opening a spa hotel.
A Spa Hotel is a hotel with the primary purpose of providing individual services and treatments for Spa seeking clients, with a focus on health. Spa Hotels usually offer facilities like steam, sauna, fitness facilities, and a swimming pool.
Similar to opening a spa hotel is opening a spa resort. Resort spas are located within a resort or hotel and provide professionally administered spa services, fitness and wellness components, and spa cuisine.
With this type of business, you can decide to partner with the owner of a hotel and that is one of the ways of cutting the cost of establishing your own full-service spa with your own facility.
Opening a day spa is yet another highly thriving physical therapy related business that an entrepreneur can successfully start. Just like any other type of spa, day spas leverage on physical therapy to service their clients. Day spas focus on relaxation, personal care, and beauty treatments.
Services at a day spa can include massages, facials, mud wraps, waxes, manicures, pedicures, and more. Some day spas may even include hair and makeup services as well, so you can leave the spa looking and feeling beautiful.
One of the physical therapy related businesses that a medical personnel especially someone who specializes in bones and muscles can comfortably launch in the United States of America is an orthopedic hospital.
Orthopedic hospitals primarily provide long-term care, offer rehabilitation, restorative and adjunctive services to physically challenged or disabled people.
The fact that accidents do occur and bones get dislocated or fractured makes those who are operating orthopedic hospitals to continue to be in business and of course make good money.
Rehabilitation hospitals are devoted to the rehabilitation of patients with various physical therapy approaches such as neurological, Musculo-skeletal, orthopedic and other medical conditions following stabilization of their acute medical issues.
The industry is largely made up by independent hospitals that operate these facilities within acute care hospitals. There are also inpatient rehabilitation hospitals that offer this service in a hospital-like setting, but separate from acute care facilities. Most inpatient rehabilitation facilities are located within hospitals.
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Start Sports and Exercise Medicine (SEM) Firm
Specializing in the treatment of athletes and other physically active individuals, sports and exercise medicine (SEM) physicians have extensive education in musculoskeletal medicine.
SEM doctors treat muscle, ligament, tendon and bone problems, but may also treat chronic illnesses that can affect physical performance, such as asthma and diabetes. SEM doctors also advise on managing and preventing injuries.
SEM consultants also deliver clinical physical therapy activity interventions, negating the burden of disease directly attributable to physical inactivity and the compelling evidence for the effectiveness of exercise in the primary, secondary and tertiary prevention of disease.
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Open a Physical Therapy Technicians Training School
Another physical therapy related business that an investor should consider starting is to open an accredited physical therapy training school; a school where physical therapy technicians will be trained.
Job duties and education requirements for Physical Therapy Technicians or Aides may vary depending on the employer, but education requirements range from high school diploma or equivalent to completion of a 2-year degree program.
Some jurisdictions allow physical therapists to employ technicians or aides or therapy assistants to perform designated routine tasks related to physical therapy under the direct supervision of a physical therapist.
Some jurisdictions require physical therapy technicians or aides to be certified, and education and certification requirements vary among jurisdictions
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Open a Geriatric Physical Therapy Center
Opening a geriatric physical therapy center is yet another physical therapy related business that an aspiring entrepreneur can start. Geriatric physical therapy covers a wide area of issues concerning people as they go through normal aging.
There are many conditions that affect many people as they grow older and they include but are not limited to the following: arthritis, osteoporosis, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, hip and joint replacement, balance disorders, incontinence, etc. Geriatric physical therapists specialize in providing therapy for such conditions in older adults.
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Open an Integumentary Physical Therapy Center
Integumentary physical therapy includes the treatment of conditions involving the skin and all its related organs. Common conditions managed include wounds and burns.
Physical therapists may utilize surgical instruments, wound irrigations, dressings and topical agents to remove the damaged or contaminated tissue and promote tissue healing.
Other commonly used interventions include exercise, edema control, splinting, and compression garments. The work done by physical therapists in the integumentary specialty do work similar to what would be done by medical doctors or nurses in the emergency room or triage.
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Open a Neurological Physical Therapy Center
Neurological physical therapy is a field focused on working with individuals who have a neurological disorder or disease.
These can include stroke, chronic back pain, Alzheimer’s disease, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), ALS, brain injury, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, facial palsy and spinal cord injury.
Common impairments associated with neurologic conditions include impairments of vision, balance, ambulation, activities of daily living, movement, muscle strength and loss of functional independence. The techniques involve in neurological physical therapy are wide-ranging and often require specialized training.
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Open Pediatric Physical Therapy Center
Pediatric physical therapy assists in early detection of health problems and uses a variety of modalities to provide physical therapy for disorders in the pediatric population.
These therapists are specialized in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of infants, children, and adolescents with a variety of congenital, developmental, neuromuscular, skeletal, or acquired disorders/diseases.
Treatments focus mainly on improving gross and fine motor skills, balance and coordination, strength and endurance as well as cognitive and sensory processing/integration.
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Start Massage Oil Supply Business
A massage oil supply business is yet another physical massage related business that an aspiring entrepreneur can start; this is indeed a very vital business in the value chain of the physical therapy industry.
This is because therapeutic (massage) oils are essential supplies when administering physical therapy. All you need to get this business going is to establish business relationship with producers of therapeutic (massage) oils and the end users – physical therapy related businesses and centers.
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Help People Get Massage Therapy License
Assisting people to easily secure their massage therapy license is yet another small – scale physical therapy related business that an aspiring entrepreneur can start.
In the United States of America, massage therapists are licensed in 43 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.
As a matter of fact, you would need a license in each state in which a massage therapist practices and it must be renewed on a regular basis, with a majority of states requiring continuing education as a requirement for renewal.
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Start the Production of Physical Therapy Equipment and Tools
Another thriving and profitable physical therapy related, howbeit capital – intensive business that you can start is to open a physical therapy equipment and tool production plant.
This is one business that can produce and sell its products all across the globe. In order to get your own fair share of the available market, then you must ensure that you follow the trends in the industry when it comes to coming up with designs of physical therapy equipment and tools.
You can produce some or all of the following equipment and tools; NordicTrack system, Treatment Tables, Therapeutic ultrasound equipment, Isokinetic devices, Electrical Muscle Stimulation, Exercise Bike and Exercise Balls et al.