Should physical therapists complete a full neurological screening for every patient with lower back pain?Over 12 years ago, Richard Deyo, MD, MPH asked the question... "Should the physician complete a full neurological examination of every patient - even those who present with no leg pain?"I almost always believe that, as specialists, physical therapists should 'step up to the plate' and screen See original here: Should orthopedic physical therapists always test for nerve root injuries?

Call me 'old school'... (some folks have called me that, and more).I still treat some impairments - it's how I was trained.There is a certain amount of satisfaction in measuring a stiff joint, fixing it with my 'old school' physical therapy techniques and getting the patient better.It makes sense.Today, however, physical therapists measure patient characteristics that predict the treatment the Read the rest here: The 'Old School' case for impairments

The X Prize foundation announced yesterday the creation of a $10 million prize for a "bold, measurable and scientific" proposal that "results in viable, creative and achievable health care system changes."Physical Therapists Take NoteThis is your skill set!The winning proposal will "improve care within communities and proactively assist individuals in optimizing their health in a way that reduces Excerpt from: X-prize for physical therapy: $10 million for autonomous practice

Anchoring, Availability and Attribution.One medical student calls these the "3-A Mistakes" so she wont forget how doctors make mistakes.In How Doctors Think Jerome Groopman, MD describes common cognitive errors that busy doctors make in diagnosing their patients.Do physical therapists make these same mistakes?Perhaps I should be more circumspect but I'll follow Dr. Link: Do Physical Therapists Make Decisions Like Doctors?

Terminator was a warning: a warning against technology, the government, big corporations and our own proclivity to self-destruction.Terminator Salvation (#4) is due out in theaters 21 May 2009.Why is a story about human-like, murderous robots relevant to physical therapists and health information technology (HIT)?Maybe because health care is the biggest part of the US economy that has resisted Continued here: Health Information Technology: Salvation or Termination?

How do you 'justify' your physical therapy?How do you 'prove' that your patient needs physical therapy and is benefiting from your care.Many physical therapists think that the patients verbal statements "I feel better!" placed in the written chart is sufficient to justify services to Medicare patients.Many therapists use a simple outcome measure to show progress and demonstrate need.Is one simple Go here to see the original: Justify your Physical Therapy

One of the missions of this blog is to help physical therapists make better decisions diagnosing and treating your patients.Physical therapists aim to be doctor-level decision makers but what are the differences in how physicians and physical therapists decide?Are there similarities, too?What are they?This chart shows the process physicians use to decide which Evaluation and Management (E/M) code See the article here: Do you make doctor-level decisions?

Physical therapists wrestle with clinical competence the way teenage girls look at themselves in the mirror and ask..."Am I pretty enough?"Newly graduated physical therapists come armed with knowledge of tests and measures that can answer painful clinical questions and help patients get better, quicker.We have available free resources - outcomes scales like OPTIMAL, DASH and LEFS that only 48% of See original here: Compliance and competence

Outpatient physical therapists don't often deal with life and death issues.We may help patients with...back and neck painwalking difficultystiffnesssports injuriesbalance problems...to name a few.We make decisions, however, that affect patients' quality of life based on their self-reported activity limitations and their performance on standardized tests and measures.That's why I was surprised Excerpt from: 'Fancy Theory' in Physical Therapy

Do these exercises as soon as your health care provider says you can. Part I * Isometrics A. External rotation: Standing in a doorway with your elbow bent 90° and the back of your hand pressing            against the door frame, try to press your hand outward into the door frame. Hold for 5 seconds. Do 3 sets of 10. B. Internal rotation: Standing in a doorway with your elbow bent 90° and the front of your hand pressing against the door frame, try to press your palm into the door frame. Hold for 5 seconds. Do 3 sets of 10. C. Adduction: With a pillow between your chest and your arms, squeeze the pillow with your arms and hold 5 seconds. Do 3 sets of 10. D. Flexion: Stand facing a wall with your elbow bent at a right angle and held close to your body. Press your fist forward against the wall, hold this for 5 seconds, then rest. Do 3 sets of 10. E. Extension: Standing facing away from the wall with your elbow touching the wall, press the back of your elbow into the wall and hold for 5 seconds. Rest. Do 3 sets of 10. F. Abduction: Standing with your injured side towards the ...