Physical Therapists' Role in Reducing Alcohol Consumption

By Dr. Sean M. Wells, PT, DPT, OCS, ATC/L, CSCS, CNPT, Cert-DN

The holidays are upon us and that typically translates to more alcoholic drinks. Data show alcohol sales tick up during these times often due to stress, social norms (New Years), and cultural reasons. Regardless of the reason, Doctors of Physical Therapy (DPTs) and rehabilitation professionals ought to be informed about the deleterious effects of alcohol: more importantly they ought to know one evidenced-based method to help their clients drink less in general.

Physical therapists that have taken our courses probably will ramble off the alcohol-associated health risks, but many DPTs don't know or don't educate their patients on these issues during PT. Some of these health risk include:

1. Liver Damage: Chronic alcohol consumption can lead to liver diseases such as fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, and cirrhosis. The liver plays a crucial role in metabolizing alc

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