The Evolving Role of Physical Therapy in Operational and Austere Medicine

Abstract

Traditional operational medicine has focused on life-saving trauma treatments in austere environments; however, the evolving landscape of sustained field care now requires a broader clinical approach to sustain and maintain unit readiness. The prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints and non-battle injuries currently represents a significant portion of medical challenges in these settings. Operator non-battle injuries often lead to unnecessary evacuations and have human capital repercussions and eventually strain limited resources. This editorial argues for integrating specially trained physical therapists into remote healthcare teams as a strategic necessity and a way to improve field effectiveness, and drew on field experiences, literature, and evidence from search and rescue as well as documented combat deployments from military journals. Military and wilderness medicine data present how physical therapists, acting as primary care specialists for musculoskeletal issues, can achieve similar return-to-duty rates to traditional medical providers. This can be achieved without relying on extensive, mobility-constrained advanced imaging or dependence on medication. Physical therapists help preserve the operational health and address both short and long-term provider concerns and injury fatigue immediately.