Physical Therapy Procedures

Active Range of Motion
Patient lifts body part through range of motion against gravity Usually prescribed for arthritis, gentle strengthening without trauma to joints.

Active Assistive Range of Motion
Therapist assisted active range of motion. Usually prescribed for gentle stretching or strengthening for very weak body part.

Biomechanical Ankle Platform System
Patient balances on one foot on a flat, round surface supported by a hemispherical platform. Usually prescribed to improve the strength, range of motion, and balancing reflexes of the foot, ankle knee and hip, also specifically the strength and range of motion of the ankle.

Back Exercises
Extension and/or flexion exercises to improve the strength and flexibility of the spine.  Sometimes used to coax the intervertebral disk into a neutral position vs. bulging anteriorly or posteriorly. Almost every patient with back pain needs to improve the condition of the back musculature to prevent further disability and future recurrences.

Isometrics
Muscle contraction without joint movement.  Usually prescribed for strengthening without stressing or damaging the joint, e.g. arthritis, or exercises to be performed in a cast.

Isotonic
Muscle contracts through the ROM with resistance.  Usually prescribed for strengthening.

Massage
Systematic manipulations of body tissue, performed with the hands - a type of soft tissue mobilization. May be used for muscle relaxation, increased circulation, to decrease swelling, or to stretch adhesions.

Mobilization
Passive therapeutic procedures intended to increase soft tissue or joint mobility, i.e., soft tissue mobilization or joint mobilization.  Usually prescribed to maintain mobility, delaying progressive stiffness and relieving pain.

Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation
Manually resisted exercises performed in diagonal patterns that mimic functional movements.  Initially used in developmentally and neurologically impaired patients, but now used in almost every aspect of neuromuscular retraining of everyone from athletes in sports facilities to the very weak in hospitals and nursing homes.

Posture Training
Instruction in the correct biomechanical alignment of the body to reduce undue strain on muscles, ligaments and joints  Usually prescribed for almost everyone with neck and/or back pain, again, to prevent further disability and future recurrences of problems. 

Progressive Resistive Exercises
Exercises that gradually increase in resistance (weights) and in repetitions. Usually prescribed for strengthening.

Passive Range of Motion
Therapist moves body part through range without participation of patient. Usually prescribed to maintain ROM of a paralyzed body part.

Stretching
Lengthening of muscle or connective tissue. Usually prescribed to improve the ROM of muscles that have tightened due to disuse or in compensation to pain, spasm or immobilization.

See Also Physical Therapy Modalities