Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Physical Therapy Services

Transgender patients that are prepping for, or have undergone gender confirmation surgery (also termed gender affirmation surgery or gender reassignment surgery), will require comprehensive, skilled services.

The transgender population needs the support of our community, and from a young age. Gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation as portrayed by society may conflict with how adolescents are perceiving themselves. This can have devastating consequences, including suicide. The transgender population has an alarmingly high suicide rate – 41% at some point in their lives, compared with 4.6% of the general population (from American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the Williams Institute from results analyzed from the National Transgender Discrimination Survey). 98% of respondents of that survey that had experienced four instances of violence and discrimination that year had thought about suicide, and 51% had attempted suicide in that year. Providers need to educate themselves and be sensitive to these challenges that are faced, and access to services is essential to their physical and mental health.