Included in the PT initial evaluation or examination are the following:

Examination:
This includes information obtained from history, review of systems, PT diagnosti
c tests and measurements.
Diagnosis
Here, the level of impairment, activity or mobility and any participation restri
ction is indicated as determined by the physical therapist.
Prognosis
This part may include documentation of the predicted level of improvement (goals
) that may be attained through the proposed treatment interventions. It also inc
ludes the duration or amount of time required to reach those goals. Prognosis do
cumentation is usually included in the plan of care and is not necessarily a sep
arate document. (See plan of care below)
Plan of Care
The plan of care of the initial evaluation or examination is usually stated in g
eneral terms. It includes the goals, which are stated in measurable terms; plann
ed treatment interventions; proposed frequency and duration of therapy required
to attain the goals; and discharge plans as determined by the therapist.
Information in physical therapy notes may include patient status or self-report;
a description of interventions provided including frequency, intensity, time, a
nd duration; and communication among providers. Documentation may also include s
pecific plans for the next visit or visits.
The physical therapy notes (PT Notes) is a particular format of recording inform
ation employed by physical therapists. Most PT notes are written in the S.O.A.P
note format, which stands for Subjective, Objective, Assessment and Plan. It is
a record of the progress of the patient, which is included in his or her patient
chart.
SOAP Notes Parts
Subjective
The information contained in the subjective part of the PT note includes what th
e patients says about his or her condition or problem. It can be in the form of
a quote from the patient's statement, for example, "My back is so painful, espec
ially after sitting for many hours at work."
It is better to look for subjective information that is more specific, such as "
My back pain has reduced from 10 to 6." Or it can be stated as "Patient states t
hat his back pain has reduced from pain level of 10 to 6."
It is important that in this section, the subjective information should be relat
ed to the patient's condition, progress in rehabilitation, functional mobility o
r quality of life. Other irrelevant information should be excluded, such as "Bri
ttney's bald again."
Objective
This section of the PT note is where concrete measurements, such as blood pressu
re and range of motion and treatment interventions performed are recorded. This
section should include specific treatments. It should also include the frequency
, duration and equipment used.
The objective section should be specific enough so that in case the therapist is
not available, another therapist can treat the patient.
Assessment
This is where the impression of the physical therapist is recorded regarding the
patient's performance during the treatment procedure. "The patient tolerated th
e treatment well" statement is commonly used, but it's not telling whether or no
t the client is progressing throughout the overall treatment plan.
Plan
This is the final section of the physical therapy note. It is where the physical
therapists would outline the course of treatment after considering the informat
ion he or she has gathered during the treatment session. If the therapist would
like to continue treatment following the original plan of the care, the PT might
just say "Continue with current plan."
Writing physical therapy SOAP notes is an invaluable documentation that every ph
ysical therapy student should learn. Students learning how to write SOAP notes a
lso need to learn how to write physical therapy abbreviations.
Just like other medical documentations, every patient encounter should include t
he following components:
the patient’s full name. Identification number is included, as well, if applicable
.
the full name of the healthcare provider and proper designation (e.g. PT, DPT, M
PT) including date of treatment and authentication (e.g. manual or secure electr
onic signature).
SOAP (subjective, objective, assessment/analysis, and plan)
Subjective
This should include what the patient has to say about his/her current condition.
For example, “Pain in my lower back has improved” or “I had a good night’s sleep last n
ight following the treatment session we had yesterday.”
The more specific the subjective statement is, the better the PT can follow up o
n specific therapy care. For example, “Pain on my back decreased to scale of 5 fro
m a pain scale of 10.”
Objective
The objective element of documentation includes all the pertinent measurements o
btained from the patient including vital signs (e.g. blood pressure, temperature
, respiratory rate), range of motion (ROM) measurements, muscle testing measurem
ents, etc.
Also, specific treatment or interventions are written here. The equipment provid
ed, number of repetitions, intensity, and duration should be included whenever a
ppropriate. For example:
PROM (passive range of motion) exercise on ® elbow, 3 sets, 10 repetitions, full R
OM (range of motion)
® Knee extension, 3 sets, 10 repetitions, 5 lb. ankle weight, full ROM
This part of the SOAP note should be specific enough so that when the treating p
hysical therapist is out for the day, another PT can pick up and treat the patie
nt.
Assessment/Analysis
This section of the SOAP note includes the impression coming from the therapist
regarding the patient’s current situation since the last visit or treatment. It ma
y also include the perspective of the PT whether the treatment plan will be cont
inued or modified.
Example: “The patient tolerated the exercises well but patient required frequent v
erbal cues from the physical therapist to complete the exercises at full range.”
Plan
This is where the physical therapist writes the plans for the patient’s next visit
, which may include the objectives, interventions/treatments, progression parame
ters, and precautions.
Example SOAP Plan: “Continue with therapeutic exercise program. Caution – patient ne
eds frequent verbal cuing to complete exercises at full range.”
S = “Pain on my back has improved from pain scale of 7/10 to 3/10.”
O =
VS:
BP = 120/80 mmHg
RR = 12 cpm
PR = 80 bpm
To = 37o
Treatments provided:
1) Hot pack on lumbar area x 20 min. in prone.
2) Deep kneading massage on lumbar paraspinal muscles x 5 min. in prone.
3) Ice pack on lumbar area x 20 min. in prone.
4) Prone lumbar extensions x 20 reps.
5) Educated patient on:
a. Proper lifting techniques with 10 lb. box lift x 20 reps.
b. Proper sleeping techniques with emphasis on maintaining normal lumbar curve.
A = Patient tolerated treatment well and appears to be compliant with home exerc
ise program.
P = Continue with current treatment plan. Caution – patient needs frequent verbal
cuing with proper lifting techniques.
The SOAP note should, of course, include basic information, such as the name of
the patient; referring physician or doctor; date of treatment; and the name and
designation of the physical therapist who provided the services. Signature, eith
er manual or electronic, should also be included.
Parts of the SOAP Note
SOAP notes writing is divided into several parts:
The Subjective part is where patient information is written including history of
present illness (HPI), past medical history, and family medical history.
Written on the Objective part of the SOAP are tests and measurements done on cli
ent/patient, which includes vital signs, range of motion (ROM) measurements, PT
special tests, muscle tests, among others.
Informations entered in the physical therapy SOAP Assessment section include lis
t of client problems, goals (Short and Long-term goals) and physical therapist s
impression or summary.
The Plan part includes details on the course of treatment that would address the
problems listed in the assessment area of the SOAP note.
A
@ – at
ā – before
A: – assessment
AAA – abdominal aortic aneurysm
AAROM – active assistive range of motion
Abd. or abd. – abduction
ABG – arterial blood gas
ABI – acquired brain injury
ac – before meals
AC – acromioclavicular
ACL – anterior cruciate ligament
ACTH – adrenocorticotropic hormone
Add. or add. – adduction
ADL’s or ADL – activities of daily living
ad lib – at discretion
adm – admission/admitted
AE – above elbow
afib – atrial fibrillation
AFO – ankle foot orthosis
AIDS – acquired immune deficiency syndrome
AIIS – anterior inferior iliac spine
AJ – ankle jerk
AK – above knee
AKA – above knee amputee, above knee amputation
ALS – amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
a.m. – morning
AMA – against medical advice
amb – ambulate, ambulates, ambulated, ambulatory, ambulation
ANS – autonomic nervous system
Ant. – anterior
AP – anterior-posterior
approx. – approximately (also “~” symbol can be used)
ARDS – adult respiratory distress syndrome
ARF – acute renal failure
AROM – active range of motion
AROME - active range of motion exercise/s
ASA – aspirin
ASAP or asap – as soon as possible
ASCVD – arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease
ASHD – arteriosclerotic heart disease
ASIS – anterior superior iliac spine
Assist. – assistive, assistance
A-V – arteriovenous
AVM – arteriovenous malformation
B
B/S – bedside
BE – below elbow
bed mob. – bed mobility
BID or bid – twice a day
bilat – bilateral (a B enclosed within a circle may also be used)
BK – below knee
BKA – below knee amputee, below knee amputation
BM – bowel movement
BOS – base of support
BP – blood pressure
bpm – beats per minute
BR – bedrest
BRP – bathroom privileges
BS – breath sounds/bowel sounds
BLE – both lower extremities
BUE – both upper extremities
BUN – blood urea nitrogen
C
_
c - with
C&S – culture and sensitivity
c/o – complains of
CA – cancer, carcinoma
CABG – coronary artery bypass graft
CAD – coronary artery disease
CAT – computerized axial tomography
CBC – complete blood count
C/C – chief complaint
cc. – cubic centimeter
cerv. - cervical
CF – cystic fibrosis
CHF – congestive heart failure
CHI – closed head injury
CKD – chronic kidney disease
cm. – centimeter
CMV – cytomegalovirus
CNS – central nervous system
CO – cardiac output
CO2 – carbon dioxide
Cont. or cont. – continue
COPD – chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
COTA – certified occupational therapist assistant
CP – cerebral palsy
CPAP – continuous positive airway pressure
CPR – cardiopulmonary resuscitation
CRF – chronic renal failure
CSF – cerebrospinal fluid
CV – cardiovascular
CVD – cardiovascular disease
CWI – crutch walking instructions
CXR – chest x-ray
Cysto – cystoscopic examination
D
D/C – discontinue, discontinued, discharge, discharged
dept. – department
DF - dorsiflexion
DIP – distal interphalangeal
DJD – degenerative joint disease
DM – diabetes mellitus
DNR – do not resuscitate
DO – doctor of osteopathy
DOB – date of birth
DOE – dyspnea on exertion
DTR – deep tendon reflex
DVT – deep vein thrombosis
Dx – diagnosis
E
ECF – extended care facility (In Physiology – extracellular fluid)
ECG/EKG – electrocardiogram, electrocardiograph
ED – emergency department
EEG – electroencephalogram, electroencephalograph
EENT – ear, eyes, nose, throat
EMG – electromyogram, electromyography, electromyography
ER or Ext. rot. – external rotation
E.R. – emergency room
eval. – evaluation
Ex. – exercise
ext. – extension
F
FBS – fasting blood sugar
FEV – forced expiratory volume
FH – family history
flex. – flexion
FRC – functional residual capacity
FUO – fever unknown origin
FVC – forced vital capacity
FWB – full weight bearing
Fx., fx – fracture
G
GB – gall bladder
GCS – Glasgow coma scale
GI – gastrointestinal
GIT – gastrointestinal tract
GSW – gunshot wound
GYN – gynecology
H
H/A - headache
H&H, H/H – hematocrit and hemoglobin
Hct – hematocrit
HEENT – head, ear, eyes, nose, throat
Hemi. – hemiplegia, hemiparesis
HEP – home exercise program
Hgb – hemoglobin
HIV – human immunodeficiency virus
HKAFO – hip knee ankle foot orthosis
HNP – herniated nucleus pulposus
h/o – history of
HOB – head of bed
HR – heart rate
hr. - hour
hs – at bedtime
HTN or Htn – hypertension
Hx – history
I
I&O – intake and output
IADL – instrumental activities of daily living
ICU – intensive care unit
IDDM – insulin dependent diabetes mellitus
IE – initial evaluation
IFC – interferential current
IM – intramuscular
imp. – impression
indep – independent
inf. – inferior
inv. - inversion
IR or int. rot. – internal rotation
IRDS – infant respiratory distress syndrome
IS – incentive spirometer, incentive spirometry
IV – intravenous
K
KAFO – knee ankle foot orthosis
kcal – kilocalories
KJ – knee jerk
KUB – kidney, ureter, bladder
L
L within a circle – left
Lat – lateral
LBBB – left bundle branch block
LBP – low back pain
LE – lower extremity
LOC – loss of consciousness, level of consciousness
LMN – lower motor neuron
LMNL – lower motor neuron lesion
LOS – length of stay
LP – lumbar puncture
LLQ – left lower quadrant
LQ – lower quadrant
LTG – long term goal
LUQ – left upper quadrant
M
MAP – mean arterial pressure
max. – maximal
MD – medical doctor, doctor of medicine
MED – minimal erythemal dose
Meds. – medications
MI – myocardial infarction
min – minimal
min. – minute
mm. - muscle
MMT – manual muscle test, manual muscle testing
mod. – moderate
MP – metacarpophalangeal
MRSA – methicilin resistant staphylococcus virus
MS – multiple sclerosis
MVA – motor vehicle accident
N
NDT – neurodevelopmental treatment
neg. – negative
NG or ng – nasogastric
N.H. – nursing home
NIDDM – non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus
nn. – nerve
noc – night, at night
NPO or npo – nothing by mouth
NSR – normal sinus rhythm
NWB – non-weight bearing
O
O: - objective
OA – osteoarthritis
OB – obstetrics
OBS – organic brain syndrome
od – once daily
OOB – out of bed
O.P. – outpatient
O.R. – operating room
ORIF – open reduction, internal fixation
OT – occupational therapist/therapy
OTR – registered occupational therapist
P
_
p – after
P – poor (used in muscle testing)
P: - plan
P.A. – physician’s assistant
PA – posterior/anterior
para – paraplegia
pc – after meals
PCL – posterior cruciate ligament
PE – pulmonary embolus
PEEP – positive end expiratory pressure
per – by/through
PF – plantar flexion
p.o. – by mouth (per orem)
PERRLA – pupils equal, round, reactive to light and accommodation
P.H. – past history
p.m. – afternoon
PMH – past medical history
PNF – proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation
PNI – peripheral nerve injury
POMR – problem-oriented medical record
pos. - positive
poss – possible
post. – posterior
post-op – after surgery
PRE – progressive resistive exercise
pre-op – before operation
Prep. – preparation
prn – whenever necessary
PROM – passive range of motion
PROME – passive range of motion exercise
PSIS – posterior superior iliac spine
PT – physical therapy/ therapist
PT – prothrombin time
Pt. or pt. – patient
PTA – prior to admission
PTA – physical therapist assistant
PTB – patellar tendon bearing
PVD – peripheral vascular disease
PWB – partial weight bearing
Q
q – every
qd – everyday
qh – ever hour
qid – four times a day
qn – every night
R
® - right
RA – rheumatoid arthritis
RBBB – right bundle branch block
R.D. – registered dietitian
Rehab – rehabilitation
reps. – repetitions
resp – respiratory, respiration
RN – registered nurse
R/O or r/o – rule out
ROM – range of motion
ROME – range of motion exercises
ROS – review of systems
rot. – rotation
RR – respiratory rate
RROM – resistive range of motion
R.T. – respiratory therapist/therapy
Rx – prescription; therapy; intervention plan; treatment
S
_
s – without
SACH – solid ankle cushion heel
SBA – standby assist
SCI – spinal cord injury
SC jt. – sternoclavicular joint
SED – suberythemal dose
sig – directions for use; use as follows; let it be labeled
SI jt. – sacroiliac joint
SLE – systemic lupus erythematosus
SLP – speech-language pathologist
SLR – straight leg raise
SNF – skilled nursing facility
SOAP – subjective, objective, assessment, plan
SOB – shortness of breath
S/P – status post
S/Sx – signs and symptoms
stat. – immediately or at once
STG – short term goal
sup. – superior
Sx – symptoms
T
tab – tablet
TB – tuberculosis
TBI – traumatic brain injury
TENS or TNS – transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator/ stimulation
THA – total hip arthroplasty
THR – total hip replacement
TIA – transient ischemic attack
tid – three times daily
TIW – three times per week
TKA – total knee arthroplasty
TKR – total knee replacement
TMJ – temporomandibular joint
TNR – tonic neck reflex
t.o. – telephone order
TPR – temperature, pulse and respiration
TTWB – toe touch weight bearing
TV – tidal volume
Tx – treatment
tx – traction
U
UA – urine analysis
UE – upper extremity
UMN – upper motor neuron
UMNL – upper motor neuron lesion
URI – upper respiratory infection
US - ultrasound
UTI – urinary tract infection
UV ultraviolet
V
VC – vital capacity
VC – verbal cues
VD – venereal disease
VO or v.o. – verbal orders
Vol. – volume
v.s. – vital signs
W
w/c – wheel chair
W/cm2 – watts per centimeter square
WBC – white blood cell
WFL – within functional limits
wk. – week
WNL – within normal limits
wt. – weight
X
x – number of times performed (e.g. x3, x8, etc.)
Y
y/o or y.o. – years old
yr. – year
+1, +2 - assitance
♂ - male
♀ - female
↓ - down, downward, decrease, diminished
↑ - up, upward, increase
// - parallel, parallel bars (also // bars)
_
c - with
_
s - without
_
p - after
_
a - before
~ - approximately
@ - at
∆ - change
> - greater than
< - less than
= - equal
+ - positive
- - negative
# - number (e.g., #1) or pounds (e.g., 5# wt.)
/ - per
% - percent
↔ - to and from
→ - to, progressing toward, approaching
1° - primary
2° - secondary, secondary to
Muscles (Muscular System)
How many muscles are there in the human body?
Most sources state that there are more than 650 named skeletal muscles in the bo
dy. It might be difficult to count all of the muscles in the body if your going
to include the smooth and cardiac muscles.

What is the smallest skeletal muscle in the body?

The smallest skeletal muscle in the human body is the stapedius muscle, which is
found in the middle ear. Its nerve supply (innervation) is the facial nerve or
cranial nerve 7.
What is the largest muscle in the body?
The largest muscle in the body is the gluteus maximus. It is one of the major mu
scles that comprise the gluteal (buttock) muscles. The other two gluteals are th
e gluteus medius and gluteus minimus.
What is the smallest gluteal muscle or buttock muscle?
It is the gluteus minimus. Obvious, isn't it?
What is the longest muscle in the body?
The longest skeletal muscle in the body is the sartorius. Main action during mus
cle movement is the acronym FABER, which stands for flexion, abduction, and exte
rnal rotation of the hip.
What is the broadest muscle in the body?
The broadest skeletal muscle in the body is the latissimius dorsi--one of the mu
scles located at the back.
What muscle in the human body works the hardest?
The hardest working muscle is the heart.
Which muscle of the body pulls with the greatest force?
It is actually the soleus, which is found just in front of the gastrocnemius--th
e largest of your calf muscles. Your soleus and gastrocnemius located behind you
r leg are known as your calf muscles.
What comprises the hamstring muscle?
The hamstrings muscle is a group of muscles located at the back of the thigh. It
is composed of the semitendinosus, semimembranosus and the biceps femoris.
What is the largest and strongest tendon in the body?
Achilles Tendon
Bones (Skeletal System)
How many bones are there in the adult human body?
There are about 206 bones in the body. Infants and children have more than 206 b
ones because some of their bones have not fused yet. For example, some of the bo
nes of the spinal column or backbone.
What is the longest bone in the human body?
The longest bone in the body is the femur (thigh bone).
What is the heaviest bone in the human body?
The heaviest bone in the body is, again, the femur. It is also considered as the
strongest bone in the human body.
What is the bone that does not attach to another bone?
The hyoid bone, located in the front part of the neck, does not attach to anothe
r bone. It is supported by ligaments--bands of tissue--and muscles.
What is the smallest bone in the body?
The smallest bone in the human body is the stapes. It is one of the small bones
located in the middle ear. The other small bones in the middle ear are the malle
aus and incus.
What is the most mobile group of bones in the spine/vertebral column?
The most mobile of the spine is the cervical spine or cervical vertebrae (neck b
ones) followed by the lumbar spine. The thoracic spine has a limited motion perm
itted because of the attachment of the ribs.
What is the largest joint in the body?
It is the knee joint followed by your hip joint.
What is the most commonly injured ligament in the knee?
The ACL-anterior cruciate ligament is the most commonly injured ligament in the
knee.
Blood
What makes red blood cells red?
Hemoglobin, which is a red pigment, gives whole blood its red color. White blood
cells, on the other hand, has no hemoglobin, thus the term.
How many red blood cells does an average person have?
It is approximately 5.4 million red blood cells per microliter* in a healthy adu
lt male. For females, it is approximately 4.8 million per microliter. *One drop
of blood is about 50 microliter.
What are the most numerous white blood cells (WBCs)?
They are the neutrophils. They are also the first WBCs to arrive at a site of in
fection. Since they are more numerous, they can be considered as the most common
WBCs.
What are the least numerous white blood cells?
The basophils.
What are the largest white blood cells?
The largest WBCs are the monocytes. Once they migrate into tissues, they enlarge
to become macrophages. This makes them even more bigger.
Heart and Blood Vessels
The heart is not exactly located at the center of the chest. Actually, 2/3s of h
eart lies towards the left.
The heart beats at an estimated 100,000 beats per day.
What is the largest artery in the body?
That would be the Aorta.
What is the longest vein in the body?
The longest vein in the body would be the Great Saphenous vein.
Skin, Hair, and Nails
How many hairs do we lose per day?
In an average person, about 50 to 100 hairs are lost each day.
Nervous System
What is the largest nerve in the body?
It is the Sciatic nerve.
What is the largest nerve in the upper limb (extremity)?
The Radial nerve.
The Do's in Manual Muscle Testing
1. Always instruct or inform your patient about the procedure and what you want
to get from the test.
2. Make sure that the subject's clothings are loose and should not be restrictin
g movement.
3. Advise the patient not to hold his or her breath when you are applying force
(resistance) against the movement.
4. Test the uninvolved limb/s first and the affected limb/s last.
5. To be organized, test all muscles that should be examined in one position bef
ore changing to another. This way, you can avoid changing positions all the time
.
6. Provide adequate stabilization to unrelated joint/s so as to avoid unnecessar
y movements. For example, prevent extra movements in the shoulder when resisting
elbow bending (flexion).
7. Always compare strength or muscle grade with the other, uninvolved limb (extr
emity).
8. All materials needed during the physical examination should be close. This is
important in cases where patient becomes anxious for any other reason or he or
she is too weak to be safely left unattended.
Dont's in Manual Muscle Testing: What physical therapists should not do when tes
ting muscle strength
Basically, the "Don'ts" are the opposite of the "Do's" in physical therapy manua
l muscle test. However, there are other things that you should consider includin
g:
Not jerking when applying resistance to movement
Avoidance of repeated testing on painful joints, and
Not leaving patients unattended.
Grade 5 (Normal; 100%)
The patient or subject can complete the whole range of motion against gravity wi
th maximum resistance applied by the therapist at end-of-range.
Grade 4 (Good;75%)
The subject can complete the whole range of motion against gravity with moderate
resistance applied by the physical therapist (PT) at end-range. Testing the uni
nvolved limb should always be considered to know whether you are applying too mu
ch force on the involved limb or not.
Grade 3+ (Fair+)
The patient can complete the motion against gravity with minimal resistance appl
ied by the examiner at end-range.
Grade 3 (Fair;50%)
The patient can only complete the range of motion against gravity. When external
(outside) force is applied by the PT, the patient gives way.
Grade 2+ (Poor +)
Here, the subject can move the joint at a certain range but cannot complete the
motion against gravity. When gravity is eliminated, such as performing the motio
n in sidelying, the client can perform the movement at full range of motion with
ease. However, muscles being tested give way immediately.
Grade 2 (Poor;25%)
The patient cannot perform the movement against gravity. But patient can do comp
lete range of motion when pull of gravity is eliminated. No resistance is applie
d.
Grade 2 - (Poor -)
Initiation of movement can be done only as gravity is eliminated. That is, only
a partial movement is observed. Here, full range cannot be completed.
Grade 1 (Trace)
Patient is not able to move the joint even with gravity eliminated. However, clo
ser examination by the therapist would reveal slight muscle contraction.
Grade 0 (Zero; No trace)
No evidence of contraction, even with physical therapist's palpation (touch).
BMI (kg/m²) = weight in kilograms/height in meters²
What are the different types of Range of Motion Exercises?
Categorically, there are three main types of range of motion exercises. They are
:
Passive Range of Motion
In passive range of motion exercise, the physical therapist is the one moving th
e joint. No active movement is coming from the patient. This is usually done to
prevent stiffness of the joint from being inactive or paralyzed.
Also, passive range of motion is done in conjunction with stretching exercises.
Active-assistive Range of Motion Exercises
This type of range of motion exercise uses some assistance coming from the physi
cal therapist. The patient can move his or her limb but cannot complete full ran
ge of motion because of weakness or pain.
This is done to slowly to increase the strength of the patient's specific muscle
.
Active Range of Motion Exercises
All movements are performed by the patient in active range of motion exercises.
The patient can perform the exercises without manual assistance from the therapi
st. The physical therapist may continually provide verbal cues on how to perform
the exercises properly.
Common Types of Physical Therapy Exercises

1. Range of Motion Exercises

Range of motion (ROM) exercises helps you move your joints to prevent stiffness.
In addition, ROM exercises are done as a part of your warm-up exercise routine.
More information on Types of Range of Motion Exercises
2. Muscle Strengthening Exercises
There are many exercises that your personal physical therapist can teach you to
strengthen your muscles. No matter what your level of strength is (assessed in M
anual Muscle Testing), your therapist can help. For example, if you have weaknes
s in a certain muscle, your PT will instruct you to perform the exercise against
gravity.
As your muscle strength increases, your physical therapist can increase resistan
ce by letting you use elastic bands or weights.
3. Balance Exercises
Balance exercises can help people with problems with balance, such as stroke or
people who have muscle weakness.Balance exercises can also help prevent falls, w
hich is a common problem among older adults.
Depending on your level of balance, your physical therapist can teach you balanc
e exercises while on parallel bars. Once you can do the exercises without holdin
g the bars, your therapist may suggest doing the exercises without it. You may p
rogress to more difficult movements such as standing on one foot and heel-to-toe
walking.
4. Endurance Exercises
Endurance exercises can increase your breathing and heart rate improving the hea
lth of your lungs and heart. In addition, performing endurance exercises can imp
rove your overall fitness.
5. Flexibility Exercises
Stretching can help improve your body to become more flexible and limber. Your p
hysical therapist can help teach you how to perform flexibility exercises on you
r own. You can do these exercises while at the comfort of your home.
Examples of Flexibility / Stretching Exercises:
Shoulder Stretching Exercises
Hamstring Stretching Exercises
6. Ambulation Exercises
One of the main goals of physical therapy rehabilitation is for you to achieve i
ndependent walking. Your therapist will assess your level of walking independenc
e.
Depending on your particular problem, your physical therapist may teach you ambu
lation exercises using walking aids such as a cane, walker, or crutches.
What Are the Different Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Goals?
Physical therapy, in general, can help you manage your pain resulting from muscl
e or bone disorder. Physical therapists are trained experts in diagnosing and tr
eating conditions that affect your movement and your ability to perform your nor
mal daily activities.
Generally, the physical therapy rehabilitation goals include:

Relieving your symptoms pain and inflammation.

Improving your joint motion.
Providing a comprehensive exercise program that you can do at home.
Improving your overall function.
Improving your posture.
Providing patient education about the condition and prevention strategies.
Whatever your musculoskeletal needs, whether from an injury; you are about to un
dergo surgery; or even after your surgery, your physical therapist can help you
achieve your highest possible function.
The physical therapy rehab goals described above are general goals. Your physica
l therapist and you, depending on your particular condition, may have different
goals that can be achieved in the short term or long-term.
Manual muscle testing, or MMT, is a diagnostic tool used by physical therapists
to assess your muscle strength. It gives your therapist an idea what particular
muscles that you have to strengthen during your physical therapy rehabilitation
sessions.
Manual muscle tests are also done so that your physical therapist will have a fu
ture reference as to whether you have improvements in your muscle strength or pl
an of care needs to be revised.
Physical therapist are professionally trained healthcare practitioners licensed
to practice physical therapy. They are specially trained to diagnose and treat c
onditions that affect your ability to move and perform your daily activities.
Physical therapists can help people who have injuries or health problems that af
fect their ability to move including sprains and strains, fracture, stroke, ampu
tation, and arthritis, among others.
Depending on your specific health problem and your overall goals, your physical
therapist will create a treatment plan that is made specifically for you to achi
eve those goals.
Your physical therapist will employ several treatment options to address your pr
oblems including:
Therapeutic exercises
Functional training
Manual therapy techniques
Assistive and adaptive devices and equipment
Physical agents (ice, heat) and electrotherapeutic modalities (ultrasound)
Calculating your own target heart rate is one way of monitoring the intensity of
your physical activity or exercise, whether you're in your target zone or not.
For you to be able to compute for your target heart rate, it is important to kno
w how to calculate for your maximum age-related heart rate first. You can do thi
s by subtracting your age from 220.
Once you have your maximum heart rate (MHR), you can compute for your target hea
rt rate by getting at least 50% of your MHR to as high as 70% for moderate-inten
sity physical activity. For example, a 44 year-old person will have a maximum he
art rate of 176 bpm (beats per minute). To get the 50% and 70% levels, we can co
mpute them as follows:
50% level: 176 x 0.50 = 88 bpm, and
70% level: 176 x 0.70 = 123.2 bpm or rounded off to 123 bpm
Thus, moderate-intensity physical activity for a 44-year-old person will require
that the heart rate remains between 88 and 123 bpm during physical activity.
A person who progresses from a moderate-intensity to a vigorous-intensity physic
al activity or exercise should be aiming for a target heart rate between 70% to
85% of his or her MHR. To compute for this range, you simply follow the same for
mula used above, except change "50 and 70%" to "70 and 85%." Let us use the same
MHR in the example above. To get the 70% and 85% levels, we can compute them as
follows:
70% level: 176 x 0.70 = 123.2 bpm or rounded off to 123 bpm
85% level: 176 x .85 = 149.6 bpm or rounded up to 150 bpm
In general, to know whether you are exercising within your target heart rate, yo
u must stop your activity for a moment to take your pulse.
You can take the pulse at the neck, the wrist, or the chest. We recommend the wr
ist. You can feel the radial pulse on the artery of the wrist in line with the t
humb. Place the tips of the index and middle fingers over the artery and press l
ightly. Do not use the thumb. Take a full 60-second count of the heartbeats, or
take for 30 seconds and multiply by 2. Start the count on a beat, which is count
ed as "zero." If this number falls between 85 and 119 bpm in the case of the 50-
year-old person, he or she is active within the target range for moderate-intens
ity activity.(CDC, 2010)