Early Access to Physical Therapy Reduces High-Cost Care in New Study

May 28, 2026

A new study published in Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Journal (PTJ) found that early access to no-copay physical therapy for musculoskeletal pain was associated with fewer surgeries, injections, imaging services, and physician visits, potentially lowering overall healthcare costs.

Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI), in collaboration with Duke University School of Medicine and APTQI member ATI Physical Therapy, analyzed 50,000 physical therapy patients—one of the largest clinical studies of its kind—the majority of whom received physical therapy on their first day of care. The study compared traditional medical pathways to patients in a no-copay physical therapy model and found that, over a one-year period among musculoskeletal care episodes, those enrolled in a no-copay physical therapy program experienced:

  • 7% fewer imaging and inpatient care episodes
  • 16% fewer surgeries or injections
  • 57% fewer physician services

The findings suggest that eliminating copays for physical therapy can reduce utilization of high-cost downstream healthcare services. This aligns with advocacy efforts long supported by APTQI: reducing financial barriers to physical therapy can lead to better patient outcomes and more cost-effective care.

“Musculoskeletal care remains one of the largest and fastest-growing healthcare cost categories for employers and health plans,” said Chuck Thigpen, ATI’s Chief Clinical and Strategy Officer. “This study reinforces that benefit designs removing barriers to early physical therapy access can reduce unnecessary imaging, physician visits, and surgeries.”

The study demonstrates that policies that remove barriers to physical therapy benefit both patients and the system alike. Timely physical therapy provides high-value, non-pharmacologic care that can help shift downstream care away from opioids and invasive procedures like injections and surgery while helping patients recover faster, improving patient outcomes, and decreasing system-wide healthcare costs.

To read the study from the Duke Clinical Research Institute, CLICK HERE.

To read more about the study and its findings, CLICK HERE.