20 | HealthLinksSC.com He was greeted by a woman who introduced herself as Mary McMillan, the hospital’s “Reconstruction Aide,” according to historical accounts provided by the American Physical Therapy Association. She was going to help him readjust to American life as much as possible through something called physical therapy — a term unfamiliar to almost everyone outside of the hospital. With McMillan’s assistance, Fletcher recovered to the point that he was able to swim, climb ladders and even drive a car. PHYSICAL THERAPISTS: RUNNING FAST TO KEEP UP WITH DEMAND By L. C. Leach III World War I veterans undergo an early form of treatment at Walter Reed General Hospital c. 1921. Many of these veterans were cared for by Mary McMillan, the hospital’s ‘Reconstruction Aide’ who created the roots of physical therapy in the United States. Photo courtesy of Walter Reed General Hospital The roots of physical therapy are traced back to the end of World War I, when U.S. Army veteran Robert Fletcher came to Walter Reed General Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland, seeking some form of recovery after having both legs amputated due to shrapnel wounds.
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