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Name:_________________
Site:___________________
College of Rehabilitation Sciences
Department of Physical Therapy
NEUROMUSCULOSKELETAL CLINICAL SKILLS CHECKLIST
ASSESSMENT PROCESS / TECHNIQUE
Opportunity to review and integrate
A. Information gathering - chart review
i. Relevant admission history
ii. Social history
iii. History of present illness/complaints
iv. Past medical history
v. Physician orders (relevant to PT)
vi. Current medications
vii. Relevant prior Physiotherapy intervention
viii. Reports on investigative procedures: interpretation
Imaging
Radiography
Other
B. Information gathering – relevant history taking
Observed
Performed
Becoming
confident
Confident
i. Entrance complaints or primary problem
ii. History of present illness/complaints
a. Location of primary complaints
b. Symptomatic issues related to
pain/discomfort
c. Exacerbating and abating factors
d. Description of pain/complaints
iii. Social history
iv. Past medical history
a. Relevant prior trauma or surgery
b. Awareness of past or current medical
condition that may impact recovery or
exercise prescription
v. Knowledge about given health condition (pathology
and clinical manifestations of given health
condition)
vi. Determine physiotherapy diagnosis from subjective
examination
vii. Determine clients level of irritability to help
clinically reason which objective tests to perform
for the objective examination
viii. 3
rd
party information as patient unable to provide
Pick Placement Type:
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C. Information Gathering – physical examination
Observed
Performed
Confident
i.Observation / Inspection
General appearance: posture and position
tests of all spinal and peripheral joints
o Understand the causes of common
postural changes
o Understand the consequence of
common postural change
Integument system: Skin condition, colour,
scars/incision, muscle atrophy/hypertrophy,
Respiratory system:
Pattern of respiration including respiratory
rate, accessory muscle use if present,
synchronous or asynchronous …..
Expansion of thorax during respiration
ii. Active range of motion (AROM)
Observation of AROM for all spinal and
peripheral joints
AROM measurement with a tape measure for
decreased spinal ROM
AROM measurement of all peripheral joints
using various sized goniometers
Appreciation of typical trick movements for all
areas of assessment
iii.Passive range of motion (PROM)
Performs PROM for all spinal and peripheral
joints knowing the normal and pathologic end
feels
Performs PPM’s and PIVM’s
Performs PAM’s and PAVM’s
Identifies capsular and non-capsular patterns of
restriction for peripheral and spinal joints
Interpret patterns of inert tissue lesions
iv.Muscle tests
Resisted isometric testing- selective tissue
tension testing to determine if the contractile
unit is problematic
Interpret patterns of contractile unit lesions
Performs length testing on various spinal and
peripheral muscles
Performs manual muscle testing when indicated
on various spinal and peripheral muscles
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v. Biomechanical exam
Performs osteokinematic and arthrokinematic
assessments on peripheral and spinal joints
i. Position tests
ii. Performs PPM’s and PIVM’s
iii. Performs PAM’s and PAVM’s
vi. Functional status
AROM
bed mobility and repositioning
gait / ambulatory status
need for gait aid prescription
gait aid sizing and prescription
muscular strength / endurance
vii. Measurement of HR, BP, RR, at rest and with
exercise
viii. Identify impairments
ix. Palpation
Appropriate and accurate palpation of relevant
soft tissue and boney anatomy
Other
INTERVENTIONS
Observed
Performed
Confident
A. Health Education (list below the types of health
education opportunities you have observed or
performed)
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B. Treatment techniques
i. Stretching exercises
ii. Strengthening exercises
Strengthening exercise for spinal and peripheral
muscles with the cause of the weakness in mind
when prescribing exercises
iii. Soft tissue massage
Transverse friction massage
Trigger point compression
Various strokes
iv. Mobilizations
v. PROM
PPM, graded mobilizations for spinal and
peripheral joints
vi. AROM
AAROM
vii. Electro-physical agents
Mechanical traction
Ultrasound
Interferential therapy current
TENS
viii. Education
Nature of problems
Activity modification
Posture correction
C. Techniques to improve mobility
Bed mobility and transfer training
Gait re-education
D. Techniques to improve aerobic capacity and strength
aerobic exercise prescription
resistance/circuit exercise prescription
E. Inter-professional collaboration
Describe PT role function
Team functioning
Collaborative leadership
Inter-professional conflict resolution
Inter-professional communication
Patient / Client / Family / Community centered
care
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Please √ the key indicator conditions
i
encountered during any of the clinical placements.
Categories
Key Indicator Conditions
Cervical Spine
Increased lordosis
Whiplash
Disc injury
Lower motor neuron impairment
Chronic neck pain
Z joint sprain
Other (specify)
Shoulder
Traumatic
AC joint separation
GH joint dislocation
Ligament sprains
Rotator cuff strain
Fractures
Contusions
SLAP lesions
Insidious
Impingement
Nerve compression
Bursitis
Adhesive capsulitis
Surgical
Rotator cuff repair
GH stabilization
Other (specify)
Elbow
Traumatic
Elbow joint dislocation
Muscle strain
Fractures
Contusions
Ligament sprains
Insidious
Epicondylitis
Nerve compression
Bursitis
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Surgical (specify)
Other (specify)
Wrist/Hand
Traumatic
Fractures
Sprains
Strains
Nerve compression
Insidious
Nerve compression (CTS)
Tendonosis
Surgical
Tendon repairs
Other (specify)
Lumbar
spine/Pelvis
Increased lordosis
Radiculopathy
Disc injury
Lower motor neuron impairment
Chronic low back pain pain
SI joint dysfunction
Z joint sprain
Other (specify)
Hip
Traumatic
Fractures
Sprains
Strains
Contusions
Insidious
Bursitis
Chronic hip pain
Groin pull
Nerve entrapment
Surgical
Hip replacement
Other (specify)
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i
Entry-to-Practice Physiotherapy Curriculum: Content Guidelines for Canadian University Programs©
Council of Canadian Physiotherapy University Programs, May 2009
Knee
Traumatic
Meniscal lesions
Ligament sprains
Patellar dislocation
Fractures
Strains
Insidious
PFS
Tendonosis
ITB friction syndrome
Bursitis
Surgical
Ligament repair
Meniscal repair
ORIF
Other (specify)
Ankle
Traumatic
Sprains
Strains
Fractures
Insidious
Plantar fasciitis
Metatarsalgia
Surgical
ORIF
Other (specify)