Effect of Activity Restrictions Imposed by COVID-19 on the Anxiety Level of Physical Therapy Students: A Report Focusing on Lessons, Clinical Training, and Job-hunting Activities

[Purpose] To ascertain the degree of anxiety experienced by physical therapy students in their college life owing to activity restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. [Participants and Methods] To investigate the anxiety level, we conducted an online questionnaire survey of 377 1st to 4th-year students belonging to the Faculty of Physical Therapy, International University of Health and Welfare, Otawara, Tochigi, Japan. [Results] The median anxiety scores were found to be 7–8 for all items. Upon comparison, job hunting activity was significantly higher among the 3rd and 4th graders than among the 1st and 2nd graders. Besides, practical training was observed to be significantly higher among the third graders than in any other group of students. In the practical skills class, both the 2nd and 3rd graders had significantly higher involvement than the 1st and 4th graders. [Conclusion] It was shown that the restriction of activities imposed by COVID-19 is a significant factor causing anxiety among physical therapy students during the course of their college life.