Lane Community College

Physical Therapist Assistant Program

Common Abbreviations in Physical Therapy Documentation
A

A:
AAE
A&D
AAROM
ABC
Abd
ac
ACJ
ACL
AD
ad lib
Add
ADL
AE(A)
AFO
ag
AK
AKA
ALS
Amb
Amp
ANS
AP
ARDS
ARE
AROM
AS
ASAP
as tol

before
assessment
active assist exercise
admission and discharge
active assistive range of motion
airway, breathing, circulation
abduction
before meals
acromioclavicular joint
anterior cruciate ligament
right ear
as desired, at will
adduction
activities of daily living
above elbow (amputation)
ankle foot orthosis
antigravity
above knee (amp)
above knee amputation
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (lou gehrigs)
ambulation
amputation
autonomic nervous system
anterior/posterior
acute (adult) respiratory distress syndrome
active resistive exercise
active range of motion
left ear
as soon as possible
as tolerated

B
B
B/A
BEA
BID, bid
BKA
BIW
BK

bilateral
backache
below elbow amputee
twice a day
below knee amputee
twice a week
below knee

BKA
BMI
BP
BRP
Bx

below knee amputation

body mass index
blood pressure
bathroom priviledges
biopsy

CA
CABG
CAD
cc
CCU
CGA
CHD
CHF
CHI
CKC
CP
CPM
CTx
CMC
CNA
CNS
COPD
COTA
CP
CPT
CRF
CSF
CVA
CW

with
cancer
"cabbage" (coronary artery bypass graft)
coronary artery disease
chief complaint
coronary care unit
contact guard assist
coronary heart disease, congenital heart disease
congestive heart failure
closed head injury
closed kinetic chain
cold pack, cerebral palsy
continuous passive motion
cervical traction
carpometacarpal (joint)
certified nursing aide
central nervous system
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
certified occupational therapist assistant
cerebral palsy
current procedural terminology (codes)
chronic renal failure
cerebrospinal fluid
cerebral vascular accident
crutch walking

D
d/c
DC
DDD
DF, d
DIP
DJD
DM
DO
DPM
DPT
DR
DTR

discontinue or discharged
Doctor of Chiropractic
degenerative disc disease
dorsiflexion
distal interphalangeal (joint)- joint near tip of finger
degenerative joint disease
diabetes mellitus
Doctor of Osteopathy
Doctor of Podiatric Medicine
doctor of physical therapy
doctor
deep tendon reflex

DTs
DVT
Dx

delirium tremens
deep vein thrombosis
diagnosis

E
E
E Stim
ECF
ECG, EKG
ED
elev
EMT
ENT
ER
ER
Ex
Ev
EBV
Ext, /

extremity
electrical stimulation
extended care facility, extracellular fluid
electrocardiogram
emergency department
elevation
emergency medical technician
ear, nose, and throat
emergency room, external rotation
external rotation
exercise
eversion
Epstein-Barr virus
external, extension

F
FBS
FIM score
Flex,
fluido
FOB
F-N
FNP
FWB
FROM
ft
fwd
Fx

fasting blood sugar

functional independence level
flexion
fluidotherapy
foot of bed
finger to nose
family nurse practioner
full weight bearing
full range of motion
feet or foot
forward
fracture

G
GB
GE
GHJ

gallbladder
gastroenteritis
glenohumeral joint

H
h
H2O
HBP
HEP
HNP
h/o

hour
water
high blood pressure (hypertension)
home exercise program
herniated nucleus pulposus
history of

HOB
HOH
HP
HR
hs
HVGS
Hx

head of bed
hard of hearing
hot packs
heart rate
bedtime
high voltage galvantic stimulation
history

I
I
I&D
I&O
IBS
IC Tx
ICF
ICU
IM
Inv
IP Tx
IR
ITB
IV

independent
incision & drainage
intake and output
irritable bowel syndrome
intermittent cervical traction
intracellular fluid
intensive care unit
intramuscular
inversion
intermittent pelvic traction
internal rotation
iliotibial band
intravenous

J
J

joint

K
K
KAFO
KJ

potassium
knee ankle foot orthosis
knee jerk

L
LAc
LAQ
lat
lat flex
LBQC
LCL
LCSW
LE
ll bars
LLB
LLL
LLQ
LMT
LOC

Licensed Acupuncturist
long arc quad
lateral
lateral flexion
large base quad cane
lateral collateral ligament
Licensed Counselor Social Work
lower extremity, left eye
parallel bars
lower leg brace
lower left lobe
lower left quadrant
licensed massage therapist
loss of consciousness

LOM
LPN
LS
LSO
LRQ
LUL
LUQ
LV
LTG

limitation of motion
licensed practical nurse
lumbosacral
lumbosacral orthosis
lower right quadrant
left upper lobe
lower upper quadrant
left ventricle
long term goals

M
MCL
MCP
MD
MFR
MI
Mm
MMR
MMT
Mobs
MOM
MRI
MS
MTP
MVA

medial collateral ligament

metacarpal phalangeal joint
Doctor of Medicine, muscular dystrophy
myofascial release
myocardial infarction
muscle
measles, mumps, rubella
manual muscle test
mobilization
milk of magnesia
magnetic resonance image
multiple sclerosis, muscle strength, musculoskeletal
metatarsal phalangeal joint
motor vehicle accident

N
n&v
ND
NDT
NG
NPO
NSG
NWB

nausea and vomiting

Naturopathic Doctor
neuro developmental technique
nasogastric
nothing by mouth
nursing
non weight bearing

O
O:
OA
OD
od
OKC
OOB
ORIF
OS
OT
OTA

objective
osteoarthritis
right eye
every day, once a day
open kinetic chain
out of bed
open reduction internal fixation
left eye
occupational therapy/therapist
occupational therapist assistant

OU

both eyes

P
pP:
parr
pass
pc
PCL
PF
PFS
PIP
PN, pn
PNF
PMHx
POC
POD
prn
PRE
PROM
pt
PT
PTA
PVD
PWB
Px

post
plan
parrafin wax
passive
after meals
posterior cruciate ligament
plantar flexion
patellofemoral syndrome
proximal interphalangeal (joint)
pain
proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation
past medical history
plan of care
postoperative day
as needed
progressive resistive exercise
passive range of motion
patient
physical therapist
physical therapy assistant
peripheral vascular disease
partial weight bearing
prognosis

Q
Q
QC
QD
QH, Q2h
QID
QM
QN
QOD

every
quad cane
every day
every hour, every 2 hours
four times a day
every morning
every night
every other day

R
R
RA
RC
RCM
reed
rehab
RICE
RLL

right
rheumatoid arthritis
Respiratory Care
Resident Care Manager
reeducation
rehabilitation
rest,ice,compression,elevation
right lower lobe

RLQ
RML
R/O
ROM
Rom
Rot
RR
RUE
RUL
RUQ
RX, Rx
rx

right lower quadrant

right middle lobe
rule out
range of motion
Romberg (neurologic test for balance)
rotation
respiratory rate
right upper extremity
right upper lobe
right upper quadrant
treatment, therapy
reaction

S
s (with a line over it) without
S:
subjective
s/p
status-post
SAH
subarachnoid hemorrhage
SAQ
short arc quad
SB
side bending
SBA
stand by assist
SBQC
small base quad cane
SC
straight cane
SCI
spinal cord injury
SD
shoulder disarticulation
SDH
subdural hematoma
SIJ
sacroiliac joint
SLB
short leg brace
SLC
short leg cast
SLE
systemic lupus erythematosus
SLP
speech language pathologist
SLR
straight leg raise
SOB
short of breath
stat
immediately
STG
short term goal
STM
soft tissue mobilization
Sup
supination
Sx
signs, symptoms

T
TBI
TENS
THA
THR
Ther Ex
TIA

Traumatic Brain Injury

transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation
total hip arthroplasty
total hip replacement
therapeutic exercise
transient ischemic attack

tid
tiw
TKA
TKR
TLSO
TO
TTWB
Tx

three times a day

three times a week
total knee arthroplasty
total knee replacement
thoracic lumbar sacral orthosis
telephone order
toe touch weight bearing
traction, treatment

U
UE
ULQ
URI
URQ
US, u/s

upper extremity
upper left quadrant
upper respiratory infection
upper right quadrant
ultrasound

V
VO
VS

verbal order
vital signs

W
W/c, wc
WFL
wk
WNL
WP
wt

wheel chair
within functional limit
week
within normal limits
wet pack
weight

Y
y.o.

year-old

X
x

times or repetitions

Weight Bearing Abbreviations

NWB Non Weight Bearing
PWB Partial Weight Bearing
TDWB Touch Down Weight Bearing
TTWB Toe Touch Weight Bearing
WBAT Weight Bearing as Tolerated
FWB Full Weight Bearing

Assistive Device Abbreviations

SC Straight Cane

SPC Single Point Cane

QC Quad Cane
SBQC Small Base Quad Cane
LBQC Large Base Quad Cane
PUW Pick up Walker
HW Hemi-Walker
RW Rolling Walker

Range of Motion
PROM Passive Range of Motion
AAROM Active Assisted Range of Motion
AROM Active Range of Motion
ADD Adduction
ABD - Abduction
Flex, - flexion
Ext, / - Extension
Sup Supination
Pron Pronation
SB Side bending
Rot Rotation
ER External rotation
IR Internal rotation