Commonly Used Medical Acronyms and Terminology

1

0/5 Absent Strength- no observable movement

1/5 Trace Strength- able to activate the muscle group, movement may or may not occur

2/5 Poor Strength- able to move with gravity eliminated or some movement against gravity

3/5 Fair Strength- able to move against gravity but cannot accept resistance to movement

4/5 Good Strength- able to move against gravity and accept some resistance

Absent Strength 0/5- no observable movement

A.D. Assistive device

ADDuction Movement TOWARD the middle

ADL Activities of daily living

AEA Above Elbow Amputee

AFO Ankle-Foot-Orthosis (brace)

AKA Above Knee Amputee

ALS Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Amb Ambulation

Anterior Front of the body

BKA Below Knee Amputee

BLE Bilateral (or Both) Lower Extremities

BOS Base of Support

BP Blood Pressure

BS Bowel Sounds or Breath Sounds

BUE Bilateral (or Both) Upper Extremities

c with

c/o complains of

CAD Coronary Artery Disease

CGA Contact Guard Assistance (touching)

D Dependent

d/c discharge

Dependent Balance Unable to move within the base of support, full external support required

Distal Away from the trunk (ie; hands and feet)

DM Diabetes Mellitus

Dorsiflexion Flexion of the ankle

Dx Diagnosis

Dyspnea Shortness of breath

ELR Elevating leg rest

EtOH Alcohol

Commonly Used Medical Acronyms and Terminology

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FIM score of 2 Maximal Assistance- The patient expends 25% - 49% of the effort

FIM score of 3 Moderate Assistance- The patient expends 50% - 75% of the effort

FIM score of 4 4- The patient expends more than 75% of the effort

FIM score of 5 Supervision- Standby, cueing or coaxing, without physical contact

FIM score of 6 Modified Independence- The patient uses an adaptive or assistive device

FWW Front wheeled walker or Four wheeled walker

Good Balance Able to move outside the base of support and accept mild balance challenges

Good Strength 4/5- able to move against gravity and accept some resistance

h/o history of

HTN Hypertension (high blood pressure)

Hx History

I Independent

IADL Instrumental avtivities of daily living

Inferior Toward the foot

KAFO Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthosis (brace)

MAX Maximal assistance

Maximal Assistance 2- The patient expends 25% - 49% of the effort

MD Muscular Dystrophy

Medial Nearer to the midline of the body

MI Myocardial Infarction (heart attack)

MIN Minimal assistance

Minimal Assistance 4- The patient expends more than 75% of the effort

MMT Manual muscle (strength) test

MOD Moderate assistance

Moderate Assistance 3- The patient expends 50% - 75% of the effort

NKA No known allergies

Normal Balance Able to move outside the base of support and accept full balance challenges

Normal Strength 5/5- able to move against gravity and accept full resistance

OA Osteoarthritis

OI Osteogenesis Imperfecta

PAD Peripheral Artery Disease (same as PVD)

PCA Personal Care Assistant

Plantarflexion Extension of the ankle (pointing the toe)

PMD Power mobility device

Poor Balance Able to move within the base of support with the assistance of external support (holding on)

Proximal Near the trunk (upper arm, thigh)

pt. patient

PVD Peripheral Vascular Disease (same as PAD)

Commonly Used Medical Acronyms and Terminology

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PWC Power wheelchair

QID Four times a day

R Right

r/o rule out

RA Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sx Symptoms

SBA Stand By Assistance (near but not touching)

SCI Spinal Cord Injury

SMA Spinal Muscular Atrophy

SOB Shortness of Breath

Superior Toward the head

Supervision 5- Standby, cueing or coaxing, without physical contact

TBI Traumatic Brain Injury

TID Three times a day

Total Assistance 1- The patient expends less than 25% of the effort