FREE Handout: Identifying Eating Disorders for Physical Therapists

Access the FREE handout HERE!

Physical therapists are often in a unique position to notice early warning signs of eating disorders that may otherwise go unnoticed. Because many individuals with eating disorders experience physical symptoms related to malnutrition, compulsive exercise, low energy availability, overtraining, dizziness, stress fractures, chronic pain, or delayed healing, physical therapists may interact with these individuals before they ever seek mental health support. Recognizing these signs early can make a meaningful difference in someone’s recovery journey.

The Eating Disorder Center recently created a handout specifically for physical therapists to help increase awareness around eating disorder warning signs and provide guidance on how to refer patients for appropriate support. This resource was designed to help physical therapists feel more confident identifying potential concerns while remaining within their scope of practice.

Eating disorders can affect people of all ages, genders, body sizes, athletic abilities, and backgrounds. They are not always obvious. Someone struggling may appear “healthy,” high achieving, athletic, or disciplined on the surface while privately struggling with food restriction, binge eating, purging behaviors, compulsive exercise, or body image distress.

Because physical therapists frequently work with athletes, dancers, individuals recovering from injuries, and people managing chronic pain or mobility concerns, they may observe patterns that warrant further exploration. Some possible warning signs include recurrent stress fractures, repeated injuries that are slow to heal, chronic fatigue, dizziness during exercise, significant weight changes, fainting episodes, gastrointestinal complaints, exercise compulsion, or extreme anxiety about taking rest days.

In some cases, patients may make comments that suggest an unhealthy relationship with food, movement, or body image. For example, a patient may express guilt about missing workouts, fear of weight gain during injury recovery, rigid food rules, or an inability to reduce exercise despite medical recommendations. Others may become distressed when advised to rest or modify activity levels.

The handout from The Eating Disorder Center emphasizes that physical therapists do not need to diagnose an eating disorder in order to help. Instead, the goal is to recognize patterns that may indicate a patient could benefit from additional support and to approach these situations with compassion and sensitivity.

The language used matters. Many individuals with eating disorders already feel shame, fear, or ambivalence about seeking help. A supportive, nonjudgmental approach can reduce defensiveness and increase the likelihood that someone will accept a referral. Rather than focusing on appearance or weight, it is often more helpful to focus on observed behaviors, physical symptoms, or concerns about overall wellbeing.

For example, a physical therapist might say:
“I’ve noticed you seem very anxious about taking time off from exercise, and I’m also concerned about how often you’ve been injured recently. Sometimes these patterns can be connected to stress around food, exercise, or body image. I wonder if it could be helpful to connect with a specialist who works in this area.”

The handout also encourages physical therapists to build referral relationships with eating disorder professionals in their area, including therapists, dietitians, physicians, and higher levels of care when appropriate. Early intervention is associated with improved outcomes, and referrals from trusted healthcare professionals can play an important role in helping individuals access treatment sooner.

At The Eating Disorder Center, we believe collaboration between providers is essential. Eating disorders impact both mental and physical health, and recovery is often most effective when healthcare professionals work together as part of a multidisciplinary team.

By equipping physical therapists with education and practical tools, this handout aims to increase awareness, reduce stigma, and help more individuals receive the support they need. Physical therapists may not always realize the important role they can play in identifying eating disorders, but their observations and compassionate conversations can sometimes become the first step toward recovery.
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Access the FREE handout HERE!

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The Eating Disorder Center is a premier outpatient eating disorder therapy center founded by Jennifer Rollin. We specialize in helping children, teens, and adults struggling with anorexia, binge eating disorder, bulimia, OSFED, and body image issues. We provide eating disorder therapy in Rockville, MD, easily accessible to individuals in Potomac, North Potomac, Bethesda, Olney, Silver Spring, Germantown, and Washington, D.C. We also provide eating disorder therapy in Arlington, Virginia and virtually throughout Virginia. Additionally, we offer eating disorder therapy virtually in Florida, Pennsylvania, and California. We provide eating disorder and EMDR trauma therapy in Rockville, Maryland and virtually throughout Maryland and Virginia. We provide eating disorder recovery coaching via Zoom to people worldwide. Connect with us through our website at www.theeatingdisordercenter.com