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Six-Minute Walk Test: Cardiopulmonary Endurance
The Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) is a staple of physical therapy assessment, but its power is often underestimated. It’s easy to think of it as…
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Timed Up and Go (TUG): Mobility and Fall Risk
You’re running a timed test with a patient who has difficulty standing from a chair, and you want a quick, functional measure of their fall…
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Functional Reach Test: Balance and Stability
You’re in the middle of a balance assessment, and you need a quick, reliable measure of fall risk. The Functional Reach Test is a fast,…
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Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE): Cognitive Assessment
You’re in the middle of your initial evaluation for a patient who just had a total knee replacement. They’re reporting pain, but something feels off—they’re…
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Ashworth Scale (Modified): Spasticity Grading
You’re in the middle of a post-stroke evaluation, and as you passively flex your patient’s elbow you feel a sudden “catch” that resists the movement.…
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Above Knee Amputation (AKA): Transfemoral Amputation
You’re standing at the parallel bars, watching your patient swing their residual limb through mid-stance, their trunk lurching to one side. They’re working hard, but…
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Neer’s Test: Shoulder Impingement Assessment
You’re assessing a 45-year-old overhead athlete who reports shoulder pain with reaching into the backseat of their car. Before you can build an effective Plan…
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Hawkins-Kennedy Test: Rotator Cuff Impingement
You’re evaluating a shoulder that hurts with overhead reaching and lifting. The Hawkins-Kennedy Test is one of your quickest, most practical tools to screen for…
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Drop Arm Test: Rotator Cuff Tear Detection
You’re evaluating a patient with shoulder pain after a fall. As you passively elevate their arm overhead, it’s smooth, but the moment you ask them…
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Empty Can Test (Jobe’s): Supraspinatus Assessment
You’re evaluating a patient with shoulder pain who reports weakness when reaching overhead to grab a coffee mug from a high shelf. You suspect rotator…
