• The treatment of deformity or disease through mechanical force and movement, including both active and passive exercises, intended to ameliorate injury, increase mobility, and improve overall function.
  NCI
  U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
• The use of exercises and physical activities to help condition muscles and restore strength and movement. For example, physical therapy can be used to restore arm and shoulder movement and build back strength after breast cancer surgery.
  NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms
  U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
• The use of exercises and physical activity to restore movement, reduce pain, strengthen muscles, and improve balance and posture in order to restore the ability to function. Therapists provide education and suggest activity modification suited to an individual.
  NICHD Pediatric Terminology
  U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
• Therapies to prevent, correct, or alleviate dysfunction of anatomic or physiologic origin, employing physical phenomena such as temperature, light, water, and sound, as well as exercise and massage.
  CRISP Thesaurus
  National Institutes of Health, 2006
• Physical therapy aims to improve joint and muscle function (eg, range of motion, strength) and thus improve the patient�s ability to stand, balance, walk, and climb stairs. For example, physical therapy is usually used to train lower-extremity amputees. On the other hand, occupational therapy focuses on self-care activities and...
  Merck Manuals
  Merck & Co., Inc., 2025
• Physical therapy, health profession that aims to improve movement and mobility in persons with compromised physical functioning. Professionals in the field are known as physical therapists. Although the use of exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle is ancient in its origins, modern physical...
  Encyclopedia Britannica
  Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2025