Physical Therapy Assessment: How Does It Work?

Pain or an injury can limit your ability to work, enjoy leisure activities, and carry out your daily routines. A physical therapy evaluation helps us understand your condition and develop a personalized treatment plan. This article describes your first visit to Physioactif.

What should you do before a physical therapy evaluation?

Preparing for your physical therapy evaluation includes filling out a health questionnaire. In it, you’ll list your health issues, past injuries, surgeries, and medications. This information helps your physical therapist understand your condition and identify situations that require a doctor’s advice.

What happens during a physiotherapy assessment?

A physical therapy evaluation includes a discussion of your problem, physical tests, and the development of a treatment plan. Your physical therapist will tailor these steps to your condition.

1. The explanation of the problem
2. The physical assessment
3. Developing a treatment plan tailored to your condition.

Step 1: Discussing the problem

Your physical therapist will ask you why you’re seeking treatment and how the problem affects your daily life. The discussion will cover your work, hobbies, chores, and physical activities. You’ll also describe your lifestyle habits. This information helps the physical therapist refine their assessment.

Next, you’ll work together to set short-, medium-, and long-term goals. These goals may focus on pain relief, or on regaining the ability to perform a certain movement or activity.

Step 2: The physical assessment in physiotherapy

Your physical therapist uses movements and tests to assess the following:

• The movements and areas of the body that replicate your pain
• The mobility of your joints and the flexibility of your muscles
• How Your Nerves Respond to Movement
• Your strength and stability
• The coordination of your movements
• Your Postural Habits

Show the physical therapist where it hurts and describe how you feel during the tests.

Magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, is not necessary for every case of back pain. Among workers with recent back pain, an early MRI performed without a specific medical indication was associated with longer periods of disability and higher medical costs.¹ A discussion with the patient and a physical examination help determine whether imaging is warranted.²

Step 3: Preparing Your Treatment Plan

Your physical therapist will explain the results of the evaluation and propose a treatment plan. Together, you will discuss the following:

• An explanation of the problem and the factors that may contribute to it
• Expected Progress and Possible Recovery Timelines
• An estimate of the number of appointments to schedule and their frequency, which we'll review with you as your condition changes
• The proposed treatments, their expected benefits, and their limitations
• Physiotherapy exercises to do at home
  • Your physical therapist will demonstrate the exercises. You'll practice them during the session to receive feedback on your movements.
  • Your physical therapist records the number of repetitions and the frequency of the exercises.
• You will be provided with an email address where you can ask questions between visits.

Your expectations for recovery and your perception of how your health is progressing are part of the discussion. Among workers with persistent back pain, these two factors were associated with a return to work.³ This association does not prove that the physical therapist’s explanations alone influence a return to work.

Back pain that has persisted for several months can still improve. In one study, more than one-third of people whose pain had lasted for three months had recovered within the following year.⁴ Your physical therapist will discuss the possible course of recovery with you based on your situation.

What happens after the physical therapy evaluation?

After your physical therapy evaluation, you will receive your treatment plan and exercises, and then you will schedule the agreed-upon follow-up appointments. The front desk uses this plan to schedule your appointments.

Your worksheet describes the exercises to do at home. Some exercises also have a video demonstration on our YouTube channel. Your physical therapist will adjust the exercises and treatments based on your progress.

Find out how a physical therapy treatment session works.

While waiting for your follow-up appointments, follow the activity guidelines tailored to your condition. For recent back pain with no specific cause, staying active helps a little more than bed rest when it comes to managing pain and performing daily activities.⁵

How can you prepare for the assessment tests?

Preparing for the tests includes wearing appropriate clothing, taking your medications as directed, and discussing your pain tolerance. Your physical therapist will tailor the evaluation to your specific situation.

What should I wear?

Comfortable, loose-fitting clothing makes the evaluation easier. For a shoulder problem, a tank top is often appropriate. For a knee problem, choose pants that are easy to roll up. If you forget to bring your own clothes, ask the clinic if they can lend you some. You do not have to undress completely.

Should I take pain medication before my appointment?

You may take your usual medications as directed by your doctor or pharmacist. Do not change your dosing schedule just to show the physical therapist how much pain you are in. Tell the physical therapist what you have taken and when. If you have any questions about a medication, check with your pharmacist.

Can evaluations and treatments cause pain?

Tests and treatments are tailored to your tolerance. Certain movements or pressure may cause discomfort. The presence of pain alone does not mean that the method is no longer appropriate. Exercise programs for persistent muscle or joint pain allow for some discomfort during practice.⁶

Your physical therapist will explain the expected reactions and the limits you should observe. Be sure to report any severe or unusual pain, or pain that persists or worsens after the exercises. Your physical therapist can then adjust the movements, their difficulty, or their duration.

References

Links open in a new tab.

1. Webster BS, Bauer AZ, Choi Y, Cifuentes M, Pransky GS. Iatrogenic consequences of early magnetic resonance imaging in acute, work-related, disabling low back pain. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2013;38(22):1939-46. (Back to section: 1)
2. Lin I, Wiles L, Waller R, Goucke R, Nagree Y, Gibberd M, et al. What does best practice care for musculoskeletal pain look like? Eleven consistent recommendations from high-quality clinical practice guidelines: a systematic review. Br J Sports Med. 2020;54(2):79-86. (Back to section: 1)
3. Schultz IZ, Crook J, Meloche GR, Berkowitz J, Milner R, Zuberbier OA, et al. Psychosocial factors predictive of occupational low back disability: toward the development of a return-to-work model. Pain. 2004;107(1-2):77-85. (Back to section: 1)
4. Costa Lda C, Maher CG, McAuley JH, Hancock MJ, Herbert RD, Refshauge KM, et al. Prognosis for patients with chronic low back pain: an inception cohort study. BMJ. 2009;339:b3829. (Back to section: 1)
5. Hagen KB, Jamtvedt G, Hilde G, Winnem MF. The updated Cochrane review of bed rest for low back pain and sciatica. Spine (Phila, Pa, 1976). 2005;30(5):542-6. (Back to section: 1)
6. Tran I, Gibbs MT, Yu N, Powell JK, Smith BE, Jones MD. Effectiveness of Painful Versus Nonpainful Exercise on Pain Intensity, Disability, and Other Patient-Reported Outcomes in Adults With Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: An Updated Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2025;55(8):1-11. (Back to section: 1)