What describes Physical Therapy Diagnosis?

What describes Physical Therapy Diagnosis?

• A. The plan of care used by the physical therapist
• B. The condition for which physical therapy is provided as determined by the PT
• C. The activities involved in life participation
• D. The process of diagnosing a condition by the patient

Answer: (B)

Physical therapy diagnosis is the PT’s determination of the specific movement-related problem that will be addressed with treatment. It identifies the condition or impairment that explains why the patient needs physical therapy, based on examination findings and how the problem limits function. This diagnosis guides the choice of interventions and goals and communicates to other clinicians the exact movement dysfunction the PT plans to fix. It is not the plan of care (that’s the roadmap of treatments and activities), not the patient’s life participation activities (those are goals and outcomes), and not something the patient self-diagnoses. The focus is on the movement problem and its functional impact, which drives the PT’s treatment approach.

Physical therapy diagnosis is the PT’s determination of the specific movement-related problem that will be addressed with treatment. It identifies the condition or impairment that explains why the patient needs physical therapy, based on examination findings and how the problem limits function. This diagnosis guides the choice of interventions and goals and communicates to other clinicians the exact movement dysfunction the PT plans to fix. It is not the plan of care (that’s the roadmap of treatments and activities), not the patient’s life participation activities (those are goals and outcomes), and not something the patient self-diagnoses. The focus is on the movement problem and its functional impact, which drives the PT’s treatment approach.