I am a doctor who works along with other doctors and body workers.  I have had neurosurgeons come in for care, physical therapists, occupational therapists, surgeons and many other health professionals.  

I have had a few patients coming in after seeing a physical therapist who have told me that their physical therapist adjusted their joints.  My eyebrows often raise and my head tilts in response.  Physical Therapy study is very different from Chiropractic study and manipulating joints is something chiropractors study from the first semester of classes and is highly focused on.  

Here is an example of a classes required for a Physical Therapy degree: According to the GW School of Medicine & Health Services: I see not a single class on spinal analysis or joint manipulation.  

Fall I Semester I

Functional Anatomy
Foundations of Examination
Foundations of Interventions
Professional Issues in Physical Therapy Health Care Management I
Clinical Conference I

Spring I Semester II

Applied Physiology
Therapeutic Modalities
Teaching in Physical Therapy Practice
Neuroscience in Rehabilitation I
Research in Practice
Clinical Conference II
Integrated Clinical Experience I
Movement Science I

Summer I Semester III

Movement Science II
Neuroscience in Rehabilitation II
Clinical Medicine in Pharmacology
Clinical Conference III
Interprofessional Community Practicum

Fall Semester IV

Management of Musculoskeletal Dysfunction I
Medical Imaging
Management of Neuromotor Dysfunction
Prosthetics and Orthotics
Clinical Conference IV
Research Seminar
Integrated Clinical Experience II

Spring II Semester V:

Management of the Musculoskeletal Dysfunction II
Management of the Pediatric Client
Management of the Aging Adult
Management of Cardiopulmonary Dysfunction
Management of Integumentary Dysfunction
Clinical Conference V

Summer II Semester VI

Clinical Education Experience
Clinical Conference VI
Women's Health

Fall III Semester VII

Clinical Education Experience II
Professional Issues in Physical Therapy Health Care Management II
Capstone Seminar
Health Promotion and Wellness 

Spring III Semester VIII

Clinical Education Experience III

From the first quarter of chiropractic education, chiropractors are taught how the bones move, how to administer an adjustment based on how the bone is not moving.  The focus is on safe, effective spinal manipulation and how those treatments help ignite the nervous system.  

Chiropractors have spinal, muscle and joint analysis for the full four years of training.  

I have no problem with physical therapists helping with recovery exercises and helping with healing modalities.  I just think adjusting the joints  should be saved for the chiropractic community who have been trained (and continued to be trained) on how the joints move and how to manipulate the joints safely.