100+ Common Physical Therapy Abbreviations YOU Should Know

I’ve compiled a list of the most common terms and abbreviations that you’ll probably see while shadowing/working in the physical therapy field. I know this list would have been helpful to me as a pre-PT student (some of these terms I didn’t learn until I was already in PT school), so I hope that it is helpful for you!

A 

• AAROM: Active Assistive Range of Motion
• ABD: Abduction
• AC: Acromioclavicular
• ACL: Anterior Cruciate Ligament
• AD: Assistive Device
• ADD: Adduction
• ADL: Activities of Daily Living
• AFO: Ankle Foot Orthosis (used to treat foot drop)
• AKA: Above Knee Amputation
• Amb: Ambulation
• AROM: Active Range Of Motion

B

• B or Bil: Bilateral
• BID: Twice a Day
• BKA: Below Knee Amputation
• BP: Blood Pressure

C

• CGA: Contact Guard Assist
• CKC: Closed Kinetic Chain
• CP: Cardiopulmonary or Cerebral Palsy
• CPM: Continuous Passive Motion
• CV: Cardiovascular

D 

• DB: Dumbbell
• DF: Dorsiflexion
• D/t: Due To
• D/c: Discharge

E 

• ER: External Rotation
• EOB: Edge of Bed
• Estim or ES: Electrical Stimulation
• EV: Eversion
• Ex: Exercise
• EXT: Extension

F

• FIM: Functional Independence Measure
• FLEX: Flexion
• FWB: Full Weight Bearing
• Fx: Fracture

G 

• GH: Glenohumeral

H 

• H/o: History of
• HEP: Home Exercise Program
• HOB: Head of Bed
• Horiz ABD: Horizontal Abduction
• Horiz ADD: Horizontal Adduction
• HR: Heart Rate
• Hx: History

I

• I: Independent
• Inv: Inversion
• IR: Internal Rotation
• ITB: Iliotibial Band

K

• KAFO: Knee Ankle Foot Orthosis

L

• LAQ: Long Arc Quad
• LCL: Lateral Collateral Ligament
• LE: Lower Extremity
• LOA: Level of Assist
• LTG: Long Term Goals
• L: Left
• LBQC: Large Base Quad Cane (aka Wide Base Quad Cane [WBQC])

M

• MCL: Medial Collateral Ligament
• MFR: Myofascial Release
• Mm: Muscle
• MMT: Manual Muscle Test
• Mobs: Mobilizations
• MinA: Minimum Assistance
• ModA: Moderate Assistance
• MaxA: Maximum Assistance

N

• NDT: Neurological Developmental Technique
• NMES: Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation
• Nn: Nerve
• N/T: Numbness and Tingling
• NWB: Non-Weight Bearing

O

• OKC: Open Kinetic Chain
• OOB: Out Of Bed

P

• PCL: Posterior Cruciate Ligament
• PF: Plantar Flexion
• PFS: Patellofemoral Syndrome
• PMH or PMHx: Past Medical History
• PNF: Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation
• PRO: Pronation
• PROM: Passive Range of Motion
• PT: Physical Therapist
• Pt.: Patient
• PTA: Physical Therapy Assistant
• PWB: Partial Weight Bearing

Q

• QC: Quad Cane
• QD: Every Day
• QID: Four Times A Day

R

• RC/RTC: Rotator Cuff
• RD: Radial Deviation
• RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation
• ROM: Range of Motion
• Rot: Rotation
• RW: Rolling Walker
• R: Right
• RR: Respiratory Rate
• Rx: Treatment

S

• S: Without (Sans)
• SAQ: Short Arc Quad
• SB: Side Bending
• SBA: Stand By Assist
• SBQC: Small Base Quad Cane
• SC: Straight Cane
• SLR: Straight Leg Raise
• STM: Soft Tissue Mobilization
• SUP: Supination
• SW: Standard Walker
• S/o: Status Post

T

• TB: Theraband
• TENS: Transcutaneous Electrical Neuromuscular Stimulation
• THA: Total Hip Arthroplasty
• Ther Ex: Therapeutic Exercise
• TID: Three Times a Day
• TKA: Total Knee Arthroplasty
• TLSO: Thoracic Lumbar Sacral Orthosis
• TTWB: Toe Touch Weight Bearing

U

• UBE: Upper Body Ergometer
• UD: Ulnar Deviation (A motion of the wrist)
• UE: Upper Extremity
• US: Ultrasound

W

• W/c: Wheel Chair
• WBAT: Weight Bearing As Tolerated
• WC: Wheelchair
• WFL: Within Functional Limit
• WNL: Within Normal Limits
• WW: Wheeled Walker

If you have any terms that you think should be on this list, let me know! I will be updating it periodically if needed.