Addressing loneliness through movement and connection in physical therapy practice

Loneliness is increasingly recognized as a significant and complex public health concern, with profound implications for individual and community health worldwide. The World Health Organization and numerous national health agencies identify loneliness as a priority for prevention and intervention.1 Loneliness is more than a transient emotional state. It is a multifaceted systemic challenge shaped by social structures, inequities, community networks, and access to resources. This social determinant of health disproportionately impacts vulnerable groups including older adults, individuals with chronic conditions or disabilities, rural populations, and racially and ethnically diverse communities. It exacerbates health inequities and increases risks of depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, cardiovascular disease, functional deterioration, and premature mortality. The health burden of loneliness rivals that of smoking and obesity,1 demanding integrated responses across health systems and sectors. Framing loneliness through a public health lens and within contemporary health systems underscores physical therapy’s critical, though underrecognized, role in multi-sectoral strategies. Physical therapists occupy a unique position at the intersection of clinical care, rehabilitation, and community engagement. Their frequent and often longitudinal contact with patients allows them to identify loneliness early, implement movement-based interventions, and facilitate connections to broader social supports.2 Current health system innovations, including social prescribing, integrated primary care teams, and community-based rehabilitation, offer structural pathways for physical therapists to embed loneliness-sensitive practices. While physical therapy has long embraced a holistic and person-centered ethos, the growing recognition of loneliness as a health determinant highlights new opportunities for the profession to more intentionally integrate social connection and emotional well-being into routine practice.