What Types of Diagnostic Tools Will They Use? What Conditions Are They Trying to Identify? How Will They Use the Information They Obtain?
You hurt your knee playing basketball or tennis, or you suffer a shoulder injury in a motor vehicle accident. You’ve given your body a rest, and most or all of the pain has gone away, but you know that you’ve lost some strength, flexibility, or endurance. That’s where a physical therapist (PT) can help.
How Will a Physical Therapist Assess Your Condition and Needs After An Injury?
At your first appointment with a PT, you can expect a comprehensive evaluation. It’s best to wear workout-type clothes, as the physical therapist will want to carefully assess your ability to move various parts of your body as well as your physical response to certain types of activities. You can expect to have the following functions examined:
- Flexibility and range of motion—How limber are you? Can you bend over and touch your toes? How far can you turn your head from side to side? Has your injury made it difficult or impossible to stretch your arms, legs, neck or back to engage in ordinary activities?
- Physical strength—You may be asked to lift a certain amount of weight. If you’ve injured only one leg or arm, you should still expect to have both sides of your body tested, so that the PT can gauge the extent of any loss of strength.
- Endurance test—Can you ride a stationary bike for 10 minutes without getting exhausted?
- Coordination—Can you get your body to do what you want it to do when you want it to?
- Balance—Are you able to stand or walk without any sense of vertigo, dizziness, or instability?
- Joint health—Do you have injuries to connective tissue, such as tendons or ligaments, or any other joint injuries that limit your daily abilities?
You can also anticipate a lot of questions at your initial assessment:
- How did the injury happen?
- Are you still experiencing pain? If so, where and when?
- Does your injury limit your ability to do the things you typically do on a daily basis?
- How active was your lifestyle before the injury?
- Are there activities that increase or decrease symptoms?
How Does the Physical Therapist Use the Information Obtained during the Assessment?
Your physical therapist will use the results of the assessment to design and implement a customized treatment plan that focuses on your specific needs. That may include a variety of options, from exercises and massage to ultrasound and other therapies.
