physical therapist

noun

plural physical therapists

: a person licensed to practice physical therapy : a health care professional who provides therapy to preserve, enhance, or restore movement and physical function that are impaired or threatened by disease, injury, or disability

… a physical therapist can show you exercises to maintain strength and movement in the affected area and may also use transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation …

—Self Healing

While activity may worsen pain, activity directed by physical therapists, which may be done in therapy sessions and sometimes at home, provides some relief.

—Schenectady (New York) Daily Gazette

—abbreviation PT

called also physiotherapist

Examples of physical therapist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Check with your doctor or physical therapist before beginning any new exercise program. —Dana Santas, CNN Money, 5 Dec. 2025

Paulette, a physical therapist with Park Nicollet Health Services, earned her master’s degree in physical therapy from the University of Iowa in 1999, according to Local Channel2 Now. —Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 4 Dec. 2025

Consider talking with a physical therapist to discuss your options for knee pain recovery. —Jakob Roze, Health, 27 Nov. 2025

But advanced nursing degrees, along with health practitioners like occupational and physical therapists, are not on that list. —Joanne Kenen, NPR, 25 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for physical therapist

• physiotherapist
• psychotherapist

Kids Definition

physical therapist

noun

: a person who is a specialist in physical therapy

Medical Definition

physical therapist

noun

: a person licensed to practice physical therapy : a health care professional who provides therapy to preserve, enhance, or restore movement and physical function that are impaired or threatened by disease, injury, or disability

—abbreviation PT

called also physiotherapist