image source
My professor has given us (our class) an assignment called "Your Tool Box" and no it is not a box with tools in it, more like a huge binder filled with "tools" to help you, as the student, know ways on how to find a patient's diagnosis. As a SPTA (student physical therapist assistant) and PTA we do not diagnosis patients, you need to become a PT for that but the knowledge it great to have to make a better PTA. This tool box contains certain sections like:
shoulder
elbow/forearm
first and hand
spine
and so on
The '"tools" we mostly use are tests to determine if a patient has a tore ligament, a certain syndrome, etc. We are going to go over the hip this week and our professor assigns certain ones to us, this week I had the Ely's test for the hip. There are very many of these tests, especially for the spine and shoulder but it amazes me how we can perform a certain task and be able to tell you what is going on within your body. I wish I could show you an example of one of my "tools" that I have made, but I cannot find way to put a PDF on here, but there are so many websites that were and still are extremely helpful for me. I will still give an example, so for the Ely's special test, this test is over the hip:
Purpose: look for rectus femoris spasticity, tightness, contracture or shortness
Maneuver: pt is prone, and examiner flexes pt’s affected knee bringing the heel to the glute mm
Positive: the pelvis will flex when you try to get the pt’s heel to touch the glute
Implications: shortening of the rectus femurs muscle
Then we would put a short video on there to show how to perform it visually and a picture as well: image source
This is also a video on Youtube and it is by:
LSTU Athletic Training
Like I said, there are many many tests out there that are very interesting. If anyone would like to know more about different tests over the upper and lower extremity, I have almost all of them for my "Tool Box" and would love to share them. These tests can be performed anywhere, but the PT has the best knowledge and should be the one to perform them.
Thank you for reading!
