| Discipline: | Practice Med | | Subject Definition: | Physical Therapy Modalities; Professional-Patient Relations | | NLM Class: | WB 460 | | LC Class: | RM700 | | Abstract: | Fundamentals of the Physical Therapy Examination: Patient Interview and Tests and Measures introduces physical therapy students to essential screening and examination techniques that form the foundation of their practice, across all body systems. It then builds on the foundational knowledge and helps students develop clinical decision-making skills. Experienced clinicians make numerous and rapid decisions about what questions to ask during a patient interview, what systems need to be screened for problems that lie outside the scope of physical therapy, and what tests and measures must be performed during an initial patient examination. Physical therapy students and some new graduates often struggle with this decision-making process and answering the "why" questions. This text provides the reader with fundamental, step-by-step approach to the subjective and objective portions of the examination process for a broad spectrum of patients within the musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, integumentary, and cardiopulmonary realms (according to the Guide to Physical Therapist Practice). Ample rationale is provided for why a test/measure would or would not be selected based on the patient's diagnosis or presentation. In addition to rationale to help with the clinical decision-making process, case examples and sample documentation will also be provided. The text also includes access to an extensive array of online videos demonstrating the "how to" for a wide variety of fundamental physical therapy tests and measures, such as gross strength testing, various sensory tests, reflex assessment, and examples of a number of abnormal gait patterns. Also included in the videos are two complete patient examinations (interview and tests/measures), one musculoskeletal and one neurological. |
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