The field of physical therapy is growing rapidly as more and more people become aware of its benefits when it comes to improving mobility, reducing pain, and restoring function to different parts of the body.
If you’re a physical therapist and are considering starting your own practice, you know that there are many people out there who can benefit from your expertise and your skills. But not all of them can become customers.
So, who do you target? Who can be the ideal customers for your physical therapy practice?
In this article, we will discuss the target market for physical therapy by analyzing the reasons why people turn to physical therapists. Once you understand people’s motivations, you will know which physical therapy services to offer, and you will be able to put effective marketing programs in place to attract the right customers to your practice.
Who is the Target Market for Physical Therapy?
One of the best ways to understand the target market for physical therapy is by analyzing people’s motivations for going to a physical therapist. After all, physical therapy is not for everyone and some may need alternative more aggressive treatments.
So, based on the reasons why people go to a physical therapist, we can divide the market for physical therapy into the following segments:
- People who are in pain and are looking for relief
- People who need rehabilitation after an injury or surgery
- People who want to improve their performance in a sport or activity
- People who have a condition that limits their mobility and function
- People looking to manage a chronic condition
- People who want to prevent injuries or damage from occurring
Let’s look closely at each of these segments of the target market for physical therapy.
1. People who are in pain and are looking for relief
A common reason people go to a physical therapist is that they are in pain and are looking for something to relieve their pain. The pain can be acute, meaning it comes on suddenly and severely, or it may be chronic, meaning it is long-lasting and persistent.
People looking for temporary pain relief may look for treatments such as massage, heat or cold therapy, electrical stimulation, and ultrasound. If the pain is chronic, they might be more interested in a comprehensive treatment plan that also includes exercises to strengthen the muscles and joints and improve flexibility and range of motion.
2. People who need rehabilitation after an injury or surgery
After an injury or surgery, people often need rehabilitation to help them regain their strength, mobility, and function. Physical therapists can help people recover from a wide variety of injuries, including sports injuries, work-related injuries, and car accident injuries.
People in this segment of the target market for physical therapy look for treatments that will help them regain their strength and mobility. These treatments may include exercises, stretching, massage, and electrical stimulation.
Some of these people may be under a home healthcare program and may need their physical therapist to come to their homes. They will often be referred to by a doctor, orthopedist, or another medical professional.
3. People who want to improve their performance in a sport or activity
This segment of the target market for physical therapy includes both weekend warriors and professional athletes. Their goal is the same – they are interested in improving their performance in their sport or activity – and they turn to physical therapy for help.
These people look to the physical therapist to design a comprehensive program that includes exercises, stretching, and other treatments that will help them improve their performance. They may also be interested in injury prevention. This is a market segment in itself which we will look at later in this article.
People wanting to improve their performance in a sport would be equally interested in a fitness app or in buying fitness products that could help them achieve their objectives. And so if your physical therapy practice has its own app or if it has fitness equipment that these customers are looking for, this could be a reason for them to select you as their physical therapist.
To reach this segment of the market, you could even consider partnering with a fitness center. After all, in the target market for fitness centers, there are bound to be customers who are also looking for physical therapy.
4. People who have a condition that limits their mobility and function
There are many conditions that can lead to limited mobility and function. These include arthritis, stroke, cerebral palsy, and multiple sclerosis. People with these conditions often turn to physical therapy to help improve their mobility and function.
The treatments that these people are interested in will vary depending on the condition. For example, people with arthritis may be interested in treatments that reduce pain and swelling, while people with stroke may be interested in treatments that help them regain movement.
5. People looking to manage a chronic condition
Chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and asthma can often be managed with lifestyle changes. Physical therapy can play an important role in helping people with chronic conditions make these necessary lifestyle changes.
People in this segment of the target market for physical therapy are looking for treatments that will help them manage their chronic conditions. These treatments may include exercises, diet modifications, and stress management. They will often be referred to by their doctor.
6. People who want to prevent injuries or damage from occurring
The final segment of the target market for physical therapy is people who want to prevent injuries or damage from occurring in the first place. These people are looking for prevention rather than a cure.
They may be interested in treatments such as stretching, building strength, and improving balance. They may also be interested in injury prevention education. Athletes will often start preventative physical therapy to avoid injuries that could sideline them during their season.
Summary
The target market for physical therapy includes people in different stages of treatment looking for ways to increase mobility, reduce pain, reduce the risk of injury and restore function to a part of the body that might be injured or damaged.
The largest segment of this market includes those looking for pain relief. They may either be looking for a solution to a short-term pain problem or they may be looking for long-term therapy as part of a larger pain management program. Many people turn to physical therapy to help them rehabilitate after an injury or surgery. Or because of loss of mobility and function caused by an illness.
Some people turn to physical therapy for preventative reasons. They may be trying to improve their performance in a sport or an activity or simply trying to avoid getting injured or damaging a part of their body in the first place.
If you are a physical therapist and are looking to start your own practice or grow an existing practice you will benefit from understanding the true motivations of your target audience so that you can design marketing campaigns that will attract them to your practice and offer services that they would genuinely benefit them.