For Consumers
What is Oncologic Physical Therapy?
Cancer and its treatments, including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and hormone therapy, can result in physical impairments. Oncology physical therapy assists individuals who have been diagnosed with cancer to recover from these impairments – and in some cases to help prevent them all together! Our goal, as oncologic physical therapists, is to help you optimize your physical function, independence, and overall quality of life.
No matter what area of the body ails you – neck, shoulder, back, knee – physical therapists have an established history of helping individuals improve their quality of life. A physical therapist can help you learn to move without pain, while feeling renewed and ready to move on.
Patient Fact Sheets
APTA Oncology is interested in working with you to develop Fact Sheets to support education and advocacy for both consumers and professionals. If there is a topic for which you would like to develop a fact sheet, please review the Fact Sheet Instructions for Authors and submit the Fact Sheet Proposal Form to Publications Committee Chair, Maggie Rinehart-Ayres.
Once approved, please utilize the Consumer Fact Sheet Guidelines or the Professional Fact Sheet Guidelines to develop your resource. APTA Oncology thanks you for your valuable contributions.
ACSM: Moving Through Cancer
The mission of ACSM’s initiative, Moving Through Cancer, is to assure that all people living with and beyond cancer are assessed, advised, referred to and engaged in appropriate exercise and rehabilitation programming as a standard of care.
We encourage you to explore the following resources that have been developed as part of this initiative to assist in the dissemination and implementation of the new ACSM Cancer Exercise Guidelines.
If you have a cancer exercise program affiliated with your clinic, hospital, or health system, please consider joining the registry. ACSM is supporting the development of a registry of programs and will leverage this information for patients and other providers to find your exercise program!
Evidence-Based Science
- Physical Activity in Cancer Prevention and Treatment: A Scientific Review
- Exercise Guidelines for Cancer Survivors: Consensus Statement from International Multidisciplinary Roundtable
- ACSM Roundtable Report on Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Cancer Prevention and Control
- Exercise is Medicine in Oncology: Engaging clinicians to help patients move through cancer
Physical therapists are trained and educated to understand all of your health conditions, including a cancer diagnosis. Your physical therapist will work with you to develop a specialized treatment program to address your specific needs and goals. For more information and to find a PT in your area, visit ChoosePT.com.
Member Awards
Know of a member who deserves recognition? Nominate them for an APTA Oncology Member Award! Deadline: October 1
Join the APTA Oncology ListServ
APTA Oncology's General Listerv is a very productive messaging system for answering your practice questions. In addition, we maintain specialized listservs for our special interest groups.
Resource Guide for Specialization
This document, prepared by APTA Oncology, is designed to help you in your preparation for the Oncology Specialist Certification Examination.
OncoReads
OncoReadsSM allows you to earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) from the comfort of your own home or office. Begin earning today!
Partners Program
Any PT or PTA living in a country other than the US or a healthcare provider from another discipline, not eligible for APTA membership, can take advantage of our membership benefits by becoming a Partner of APTA Oncology.
APTA Engage
Want to get involved? Check out APTA Engage for the latest volunteer opportunities within APTA Oncology. Check back often as new opportunities arise!
Clinical Research Grant
A clinical research grant is available to APTA Oncology members to assist with a one-year research study that investigates a question(s) of importance to adult or pediatric oncology or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) physical therapy.
Internship & Mentor Opportunities
Oncology rehab facilities across the country that are willing to offer clinical affiliations, and mentors who have volunteered to share their time and expertise.
Host a Regional Course in Your Area
APTA Oncology has several course offerings looking for partners to host. Click here to learn more.
Look Inside the Oncology Toolbox
What's in your Physical Therapy Bag of Tricks? Find more and contribute some.
Sign Up to Become a Volunteer
This Academy survives and thrives on it's exceptional line of volunteers. From experienced to clincians; if you want to be a leader, we have a position.