The traditional role of physical therapists is to prescribe exercises and provide hands-on care to help patients develop, maintain, and restore functional ability that may be limited by injuries, aging, and chronic or progressive diseases. A primary impact of the COVID-19 emergency on physical therapists has been an involuntarily reduction of employment due to a decline in elective surgeries and the closure of many sites where physical therapy is delivered.

This brief examines the supply, distribution, and education pathways of physical therapists as well as state responses to the pandemic for the workforce.