Physical therapy may be used to treat numerous injuries, conditions and diseases. Common pediatric injuries, conditions and diseases (including those present at birth) that may be treated in children include:

• Developmental delays
• Cerebral palsy
• Muscular dystrophy
• Chromosome disorders
• Spina bifida
• Scoliosis (abnormal sideways curve of the spine)

• Fetal exposure to alcohol or drugs
• Traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, brachial plexus (a network of nerves serving the arm) injuries or other acute trauma
• Limb deficiencies
• Muscle weakness
• Muscle or joint pain

Common pain conditions in adults that may be treated with physical therapy include:

• Back pain. Back pain is one of the most common medical conditions in the United States. Causes include herniated discs, sciatica, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis and osteoporosis. Patients who experience back pain, particularly in the lumbar area, may be treated with physical therapy.

• Neck pain. Conditions such as whiplash or a pinched nerve in the cervical spine can cause neck pain.
  
  
• Knee pain. Injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) are among the most common of all sports-related knee injuries in the United States. Thousands of people sustain a torn or ruptured ACL each year requiring surgery and/or physical therapy. Injuries of the menisci (cartilage pads) are also common.

• Hip pain, leg pain and foot pain. Many conditions of the lower extremities may cause gait disturbances that can be addressed in physical therapy.
  
  
• Arthritis. Common types of arthritis include osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. This condition is particularly common in the hands, fingers, knees and hips.

• Shoulder pain. Frozen shoulder is a term used to describe a stiff shoulder joint with reduced range of motion. In most cases, the condition is reversible, although treatment may last several months. Injuries to the rotator cuff (muscles that attach by tendons to the upper arm bone) and shoulder impingement syndrome (symptoms that result from compression of the rotator cuff tendons and subacromial bursa, a fluid-filled sac that separates the bones of the shoulder joint) are also common.
  
  
• Tendinitis (inflammation of a tendon). The most common cause of tendinitis is overuse. This condition can occur in various areas of the body, including the hands, elbows and knees.
  
  
• Elbow pain. Tendinitis is the most common condition affecting the elbow. It is frequently referred to as tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) when there is an injury to the outer tendon and golfer elbow (medial epicondylitis) when there is an injury to the inner tendon.
  

• Bursitis (inflammation of the bursa). A bursa is a fluid-filled sac that functions as a gliding surface to reduce friction between the tissues of the body. There are 160 bursae in the body, located in areas such as shoulders, elbows, hips and knees. The most common location of bursitis is in the shoulder.
  
  
• Complex regional pain syndrome (a chronic condition that may occur after an injury to the arm or leg). It is often described as a burning sensation and is much worse than anticipated for the injury.
  

• Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS). MPS, a chronic condition that affects the fascia (connective tissue that covers muscles), may involve a single muscle or a group of muscles. It may be caused by injury or excessive strain in various areas of the body.
  
  
• TMJ disorder. The temporomandibular joints (jaw joints) connect the lower jawbone (mandible) to the skull. These joints are used more than any other joint in the body. Many people experience pain and dysfunction in these joints at some point in their lives. This can affect the jaw and jaw joint as well as muscles in the face, shoulder, head and neck.

PT also addresses many other conditions, including burns, lupus, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke and debility due to conditions such as heart failure, diabetes or dementia. Patients may also be referred for rehabilitation after surgery, such as arthroscopy, joint replacement, carpal tunnel release, spinal surgery or heart surgery.