"Standardized scales, tests, and tools for assessing functioning in the practice of physical therapists and occupational therapists"
- May 22
- 3 min read
Course duration: 16 hours
Course duration: 1 month, 1 time per week / scheduled for April
Form of classes:
Synchronous online course - course with a teacher 16 hours.
An asynchronous online course is a course without a teacher.
The duration of the course depends on the independent mastery of the educational content.
Information support:
Record 4 online classes
Methodical material
You will also receive:
Chat with the teacher
Certificate (after passing the final test)
Why it's interesting. The course is designed for physical therapist assistants, physical therapists, occupational therapist assistants, occupational therapists, students, and members of a multidisciplinary team. Standardized scales and tests are the "foundation" of evidence-based rehabilitation. Without them, the work of a physical therapist turns into a set of exercises without a clear vector.
Here are the key reasons why they are critically important:
Objectification of progress (Numbers instead of feelings)
The patient may not notice improvement because they are used to their condition. Scales (for example, VAS or MMT) allow you to show the dynamics in numbers: “Last week your pain was 8/10, today it is 5/10.” This is the best tool to maintain the patient’s motivation.
Common language with colleagues (Medical communication).
When you refer a patient to another specialist or write a report to a doctor, the phrase “the patient is walking better” does not convey information. An indicator of “12 points on the Berg scale” or “grade 2 on the Ashworth scale” is understandable to any professional in the world.
Legal and financial justification.
For the NHSU, insurance companies, or facility administration, standardized tests are proof that the therapy is working. This is the basis for continuing the rehabilitation course or paying for the services provided.
Identifying “red flags” and safety.
Tests help to spot risks in time. For example, a low score on the Tinetti test directly indicates a high risk of falling, which forces the therapist to immediately change tactics to safer ones.
Evidence and self-development
Using the scales allows the therapist to analyze their own effectiveness. If the test results do not change within 2 weeks, this is a signal that the chosen technique is not working and the treatment plan needs to be adjusted.
Course goal. The course will help to gain knowledge of modern methods of functional diagnostics in physical therapy to solve problems related to establishing the functional state and working capacity of patients before and after diseases of various nosologies.
Formation of skills and abilities . Thanks to the consolidated knowledge and skills, you will be able to correctly perform examination procedures, be able to interpret the results from a clinical point of view, and comply with safety requirements when working with the patient.
Online class topic | Hours |
Topic 1. . Classification of the main functional tests. Algorithm for conducting functional tests: orthostatic (active, passive), clinostatic test. Martine-Kushelevsky test, Rufier.
| 4 |
Topic 2. Standardized tools for objective assessment of patients with musculoskeletal disorders: Harris WH Scale Lysholm Questionnaire. Constant Shoulder Score Scale. Lachman test. Adams, Schober, Codman, Ott, MMT, ROM goniometry. | 4 |
Topic 3. Standardized tools for objective assessment of severity and dynamics of neurological disorders, stroke (NIHSS Scale, Glasgow Coma Scale, WFNS), traumatic brain injury (Neurobehavioral Symptom Scale - NSI), impaired consciousness (Glasgow Scale), functional status after stroke (Modified Rankin Scale, Barthel Index). Hammersmith Neurological Examination of Infants (HINE). Neurological tests. | 4 |
Topic 4. Collection of anamnesis and examination of patients with diseases of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Goldman scales, CHA2DS2-VASc (for the risk of stroke in atrial fibrillation), SCORE/SCORE2 (estimating the 10-year risk of fatal cardiovascular events), functional status assessment scales, NYHA - heart failure. Scales in pulmonology COPD (CAT, m MRC), asthma (ACT, ACQ) and pneumonia (PSI, CURB-65). Stange test (Stange Test), Genche. | 4 |
Total hours | 16 |
Course lecturer: physical therapist/instructor of therapeutic swimming “International Center for Rehabilitation and Neurophysiology”, senior lecturer of the Department of Physical Therapy of the Higher Educational Institution “International Scientific and Technical University named after Academician Yuri Bugay”. KOTENKO Olha.
Interested? Click here to place an order!


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