If you’ve ever had to go to a physical therapy clinic or rehab center, it’s most likely because something has already happened to you. You broke a bone, strained a muscle, or had surgery on your rotator cuff because you’ve been playing tennis since you were three.
Let’s not forget the constant threat of carpal tunnel or “tech neck,” as we use keyboards and mobile devices to communicate.
It’s obvious that PT companies see people who are injured or experience other physiological challenges in the normal course of aging. But as these populations age, what’s next for the PT sector?
Why Proactive Health Checkups Are Good for Everyone
In other healthcare and wellness sectors, consumers are accustomed to checking in annually to sustain health and uncover early stage issues. Women expect to get their annual mammogram to rule out cancer. Men are advised to head in for that prostate exam or colonoscopy.
Why isn’t there a place to look at PT from a proactive perspective?
With that in mind, looking at PT from a proactive perspective seems like a logical next step--for one generation in particular.
Let’s Look at Gen X
We recently did a ton of research and discovered a unique opportunity with a certain cohort: Generation X.
These folks are special because of the trajectory of their developmental years and the tug-of-war condition of life today. They have one foot still in their 20s, and the other foot hesitantly stepping towards the future. While they may still feel youthful on the inside, the reality of the outside is not so much in sync.
There’s room for growth across multiple industries.
Gen X is special because they persist in doing what they want to do, despite the obstacles: the aging athlete who plays in a basketball league twice a week, or the weekend warrior who jams in all their activity on the weekend.
We termed this persona the “musculoskeletal conscious”—someone who doesn’t want to end up like her great-aunt with advanced osteoporosis, or the smart aging athlete who “pre-habs” in order to make recovery quicker and smoother.
PT and Beyond
The driving point here is that there is opportunity for expanding an audience to include this juicy group with a proactive approach. And it doesn’t just stop at PT or rehab. There’s room for growth across multiple industries, from a wider healthcare view to fashion, finance, and travel.
As they say, the possibilities are limitless.
