Common Physical Therapy Abbreviations You May Find
You may find that as you first launch your career as a Physical Therapist, there are several abbreviations that you may not have learned in PT School (Thanks APTA!) While APTA does not officially endorse a standard, you can find plenty of practices that share common shortened physical therapy abbreviations. This list is what I have come across, along with what I have gathered online to help you familiarize yourself with the abbreviations! This is a list of Physical Therapy Abbreviations to know!
This is also great for students in Physical Therapy program who are just starting their rounds in clinic. It’s great to review this as you may run into some things you are not used to seeing!
Common Physical Therapy Abbreviations
A/P — Anterior Posterior
AAROM — Active Assistive Range of Motion
ABD — Abduction
ACJ — Acromioclavicular Joint
ACL — Anterior Cruciate Ligament
ACL anterior cruciate ligament
AD — Assistive Device
ADD — Adduction
ADL — Activities of Daily Living
ADL’s activities of daily living
AFO — Ankle Foot Orthosis (Used To Treat Foot Drop)
AKA — Above Knee Amputation
ALS — Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Amb — Ambulation
AMB — ambulate
ANT — Anterior
Appt. — appointment
AROM — Active Range Of Motion
As tol — As tolerated
B — Bilateral
BAPS — Biomechanical Ankle Platform System
bed mob. — bed mobility
BID — Twice a Day
BIW — bi-weekly, twice weekly
bk — back
BKA — Below Knee Amputation
BOS — Base of support
BP — Blood pressure
bpm — Beats per minute
Bwd — Backward
C/o Complains of
C/S cervical spine
CA Cancer
CC Chief Complaint
cerv. cervical
CF Cystic Fibrosis
CGA — Contact Guard Assist
CGA Contact Guard Assist
CHF Congestive Heart Failure
CHI closed head injury
CKC — Closed Kinetic Chain
COG Center of gravity
Cont Continue
Cont. continue
COPD Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
COTA certifi ed occupational therapy assistant
CP — Cold Pack
CP Cerebral Palsy
CP coldpack, cerebral palsy
CPM — Continuous Passive Motion
CPM Continuous passive motion
CRPS Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
CTS Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
CTx — Cervical Traction
CVA Cerebral Vascular Accident
CVD Cardio-Vascular Disease
Cx. cancel, cancellation
D/C Discharge
DB — Dumbbell
DC discharge, discontinue
DDD Degenerative Disc Disease
dep., D dependent
Dexa Dexamethazone
DF — Dorsiflexion
DF — Dorsiflexion (of The Ankle)
DF dorsiflexion
Diag Diagonal
DIP Distal Interphalangeal Joint
DJD — Degenerative Disc Disease
DJD Degenerative Joint Disease
DM Diabetes Mellitus
DMD Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
DME durable medical equipment
DOB Date of birth
DOI Date of injury
DOS Date of surgery
DVT Deep Vein Thrombosis
Dx Diagnosis
EOB Edge of bed
Equip. equipment
ER — External Rotation
ER Emergency Room
E-stim Electrical Stimulation
Estim or ES — Electrical Stimulation
EV — Eversion (of The Ankle)
Ev. eversion
Eval. evaluation eversion
Ex — Exercise
Ex. exercise
EXT — Extension (or a Slash Mark Is Used To Signify Extension)
Ext. extension
Ext. rot., ER external rotation
F, 3/5 fair (in reference to manual muscle testing)
F/u Follow up
FCR Flexor Carpi Radialis
FCU Flexor Carpi Ulnaris
FES Functional Electrical Stimulation
FIM score — Functional Independence Level
FLEX — Flexion (or Simply a Check Mark Is Used To Signify Flexion)
Flex. flexion
freq frequency
FWB — Full Weight Bearing
FWB full weight bearing
fwd forward
FWW Front wheeled walker
Fx — Fracture
Fx. fracture
G, 4/5 good (in reference to manual muscle testing)
GH Gleno-Humeral
GHJ — Glenohumeral Joint
GMT gross muscle test
Gt. Trng. gait training
H/o — History of
H/o History of
H/S Hamstring
HA Headache
Hemi. hemiplegia, hemiparesis
HEP — Home Exercise Program
HEP home exercise program
HHA home health aide
HKAFO hip knee ankle foot orthosis
HNP Herniated Nucleus Pulposus
HOB — Head of Bed
HOB Head of bed
Hor Horizontal
Horiz ABD — Horizontal Abduction
Horiz ADD — Horizontal Adduction
HP — Hot Packs
HP hot pack
HTN Hypertension
HVGS high voltage galvanic stimulation
HVGS — High Voltage Galvantic Stimulation
Hx — History
HX history
I — Independent
I , Indep independent
IDDM insuline dependent diabetes mellitus
IE initial evaluation
IFC interferential current
IMS intramuscular stimulation
Inf Inferior
Int. rot., IR internal rotation
Inv — Inversion
Inv. inversion
Ionto Iontophoresis
Ionto — Iontophoresis
IR — Internal Rotation
Isom isometric
ITB — Iliotibial Band
ITB Ilio-tibial Band
IV — Inversion (of The Ankle)
Jt Joint
KAFO Knee ankle foot orthosis
KAFO — Knee Ankle Foot Orthosis
L –
L , L, Lt. left
L/S Lumbar Spine
LAQ — Long Arc Quad
LAQ long arc quad (exercise.)
Lat Lateral
Lats Latissimus Dorsi
LB lower body
LBP low back pain
LBQC large base quad cane
LBQC — Large Base Quad Cane (Also Known As a Wide Base Quad Cane (Wbqc))
LCL — Lateral Collateral Ligament
LCL Lateral Collateral Ligament
LE — Lower Extremity
LE lower extremity
LOA — Level of Assist
LP — Leg Press
LQ lower quadrant
LTG — Long Term Goals
LTG long term goal
M/L Medial Lateral
Max Maximum
Max. maximal
MCL — Medial Collateral Ligament
MCL Medial Collateral Ligament
MCP Metacarpophalangeal Joint
MDL moderately limited
Med Medial
MENS microcurrent electrical nerve stimulator
MFR — Myofascial Release
MFR myofacial release
MFR Myofascial Release
MHP — Moist Hot Pack
MHP Moist Hot Pack
MI Myocardial Infarction
Min Minimum
MKL markedly limited
Mm — Muscle
- muscle
MMT manual muscle test
MMT — Manual Muscle Test
MNL minimally limited
Mob Mobilization
Mobs — Mobilization
mod Moderate
MS Multiple Sclerosis
MSW medical social worker
MTP Metatarsophalangeal Joint
MVA Motor Vehicle Accident
N, .5/5 normal (re: muscle strength)
N/T numbness and tingling or not tested
NAGS Natural Apophyseal Glides
NBQC Narrow Based Quad Cane
NCV nerve conduction velocity
NDT — Neuro Developmental Technique (Also Known As Bobath Technique)
NF No Fault
NIDDM non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus
NMES — Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation
NMR Neuromuscular re-education
NS No Show
NWB non-weight bearing
NWB — Non-Weight Bearing
OA Osteoarthritis
OKC — Open Kinetic Chain
OOB — Out Of Bed
OOB Out of bed
OT occupational therapy/therapist
OTR registered occupational therapist
p after
P, 2/5 poor (re: muscle strength)
P/A Posterior Anterior
P/u Push up
PBall Physio-Ball
PCL — Posterior Cruciate Ligament
PCL Posterior Cruciate Ligament
PD Parkinson’s Disease
Pec Pectoral / Pectoralis
PF plantar fl exion
PF — Plantar Flexion
Pfin — Paraffin Bath
PFS — Patellofemoral Syndrome
Phono — Phonophoresis
Phono Phonophoresis
PIP Proximal Interphalangeal Jt
PMH past medical history
PMHx — Past Medical History
Pn pain
PNF Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation
PNF — Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation
POC plan of care
Post Posterior
PRE progressive resistive exercises
Prec. Precautions
Prep. preparation
PRN As needed
PRO — Pronation (Turning Your Wrist Palm Down)
PROM — Passive Range of Motion
Pron Pronation
Prox Proximal
PT — Physical Therapist
PT physical therapy/therapist
Pt. — Patient
Pt. patient
PTA — Physical Therapy Assistant
PTA physical therapist assistant
PUW — Pick Up Walker
PVD Peripheral Vascular Disease
PWB — Partial Weight Bearing
PWB partial weight bearing
Q — Every
QC — Quad Cane
QD — Every Day
QID — Four Times A Day
QS Quadriceps Set
Quad Quadriceps
R , R, rt right
r/o Rule out
RA Rheumatoid Arthritis
RC — Rotator Cuff
RD — Radial Deviation (a Motion of the Wrist)
Re recheck
Rec’d received
Rehab. rehabilitation
Reps. repetitions
Req/d. required
RGO reciprocating gait orthosis
RICE — Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation Rom
ROM — Range of Motion
ROM Range of Motion
Rot — Rotation
Rot. rotation
RSD Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy
RTC Rotator Cuff
RTW Return to work
RW — Rolling Walker
RW Rolling Walker
Rx — Treatment
Rx. treatment
S — Without (Sans)
S/L Sidelying
S/p Status post
SAQ — Short Arc Quad
SAQ short arc quad (exercise)
SB Sidebend
SB — Side Bending
SBA — Stand By Assist
SBA standby assist
SBQC small base quad cane
SBQC — Small Base Quad Cane (Also Known As a Narrow Base Quad Cane (Nbqc))
SC — Straight Cane
SCI spinal cord injury
Script Prescription
Sh shoulder
SI, SIJ sacroiliac joint
SLP speech-language pathologist
SLR — Straight Leg Raise
SLR Straight Leg Raise
SNAGS Sustained Natural Apophyseal Glides
SOB Shortness of Breath
SPC Single point cane
SPT student P.T.
SPTA student P.T.A.
ST speech therapy
STG short term goals
STM — Soft Tissue Mobilization
STM Soft Tissue Mobilization
SUP — Supination (Turning Your Wrist Palm Up)
Sup Supination or Superior
SW Standard Walker
SW — Standard Walker
T, 1/5 trace (re: muscle strength)
T/S Thoracic Spine
TA Therapeutic Activities
TB — Theraband
T-Band Theraband
TBI Traumatic Brain Injury
TENS transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator
TENS — Transcutaneous Electrical Neuromuscular Stimulation
THA total hip arthroplasty
THA — Total Hip Arthroplasty
THA Total Hip Arthroplasty
Ther Ex — Therapeutic Exercise
Ther Ex Therapeutic Exercise
THR total hip replacement
THR Total Hip Replacement
TIA Transient Ischemic Attack
TID — Three Times a Day
TIW three times per week
TKA — total knee arthroplasty
TKR — total knee replacement
TLSO — Thoracic Lumbar Sacral Orthosis
TM — treadmill
TMJ — Temporomandibular Joint
Tol — Tolerated
Trxn — Traction
TTWB — Toe Touch Weight Bearing
UBE — Upper Body Ergometer
UD — Ulnar Deviation (A Motion Of The Wrist)
UE — Upper Extremity
UQ — upper quadrant
US — Ultra Sound
UV — ultraviolet
VC — verbal cues
VIC — Verbalized informed consent
W/c — Wheel Chair
W/C — Wheelchair
W/cm2 — watts per centimeter squared
WB — weight bearing
WBAT — weight bearing as tolerated
WBAT — Weight Bearing As Tolerated
WBQC — Wide based quad cane
WC — Wheelchair
WFL — Within Functional Limit
WNL — Within Normal Limits
WW — Wheeled Walker
y/o — Years old
See something we missed? Let us know and we will update the list! Hope you guys enjoyed the Physical Thearpy Abbreviations List! Let us know what other content you would like to see below in the comments!
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