Most Americans aren't getting the recommended amount of physical activity — a health crisis that was present before COVID-19 and shouldn't wait for the pandemic to end before being addressed.

That's the subject of APTA’s new public service announcement, which is set to debut online next week and be released to TV and radio stations nationwide.

The message of the public service announcement is clear: Regular physical activity is one of the best things you can do for your health, and physical therapists and physical therapist assistants can help you improve or restore movement. A call to action directs the public to visit ChoosePT.com, APTA’s consumer website and promotes the association's "Find a PT " directory.

That's where you come in. The public service announcement is slated to launch Feb. 24, which means now is the time for member physical therapists to create or update their Find a PT profile to make potential patient connections easy. Millions of people already visit ChoosePT.com every year, and with the public service announcement rolling out next week, we expect a considerable bump in traffic.  

APTA launched its campaign focusing on physical activity last July, and resources are available for members at ChoosePT.com, which is the host site for the campaign.

Keep your eyes and ears open for the public service announcement, which has 60-second, 30-second, and 15-second versions, but also stay tuned for more activities aimed at increasing the public's awareness of the benefits of physical therapy — and reminding them of how easy it is to find a PT at ChoosePT.com.

This is the third national public service announcement that APTA has produced in five years. The previous two focused on the opioid epidemic and generated more than $9 million in donated airtime to promote physical therapy as a safe alternative to pain management.