HK Physio Registration cheat sheet

Brachial plexus roots C5–T1; upper trunk C5–C6 (suprascapular, musculocutaneous), middle trunk C7 (radial), lower trunk C8–T1 (ulnar, median).

Dermatomes: C5 lateral arm, C6 thumb, C7 middle finger, C8 little finger, T4 nipple, T10 umbilicus, L4 medial malleolus, L5 dorsum of foot, S1 lateral heel.

Myotomes: C5 shoulder abduction, C6 elbow flexion, C7 elbow extension, C8 finger flexion, L3 knee extension, L4 ankle dorsiflexion, L5 great toe extension, S1 plantarflexion.

Upper motor neuron lesion: hyperreflexia, spasticity, Babinski sign, no fasciculation. Lower motor neuron lesion: flaccidity, atrophy, fasciculation, areflexia.

Stroke: infarction in the middle cerebral artery causes contralateral face/arm weakness; anterior cerebral artery affects the leg more than the arm; posterior circulation causes ataxia and cranial nerve deficits.

Parkinson disease cardinal signs: resting tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, postural instability. Dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra degenerate.

Myocardial infarction: ST elevation, troponin rise; cardiac output = heart rate × stroke volume; Fick principle VO2 = cardiac output × arteriovenous oxygen difference.

Normal arterial blood gas: pH 7.35–7.45, PaO2 80–100 mmHg, PaCO2 35–45 mmHg, HCO3 22–26 mmol/L, SaO2 >95%.

Ottawa ankle rules: X-ray if pain at posterior malleolus or medial malleolus, base of fifth metatarsal, or navicular, or inability to bear weight four steps.

Ottawa knee rules: X-ray if age >55, isolated patellar tenderness, fibular head tenderness, inability to flex to 90°, or inability to bear weight.

Capsular pattern: shoulder lateral rotation most limited, hip medial rotation and flexion, knee flexion, ankle plantarflexion.

Rotator cuff: supraspinatus abduction first 15°, infraspinatus external rotation, subscapularis internal rotation.

Anterior cruciate ligament prevents anterior tibial translation; posterior cruciate prevents posterior translation; medial collateral resists valgus, lateral collateral resists varus.

Rheumatoid arthritis: symmetrical small-joint synovitis, morning stiffness >1 hour, anti-CCP and rheumatoid factor positive. Osteoarthritis: asymmetrical, morning stiffness <30 minutes, Heberden and Bouchard nodes.

Manual therapy grades I–II for pain and mobility, grades III–IV for stiffness; Maitland grading.

Red flags: night pain unrelieved by rest, unexplained weight loss, fever, history of cancer, bladder or bowel dysfunction, saddle anaesthesia.

Glasgow Coma Scale: eye 1–4, verbal 1–5, motor 1–6; total 3–15; ≤8 indicates severe impairment and airway risk.

Brunnstrom stages 1–7 describe recovery from flaccidity to isolated movement and normal tone after stroke.

Modified Ashworth Scale grades 0, 1, 1+, 2, 3, 4 for spasticity; grade 1+ is a catch followed by resistance through less than half the range.

Rancho Los Amigos levels I–VIII track recovery after traumatic brain injury; level IV confused and agitated, level VIII purposeful and appropriate.

ASIA impairment scale A–E: A complete, B sensory incomplete, C motor incomplete with most muscles below level <3/5, D motor incomplete with most ≥3/5, E normal.

Cerebral palsy: spastic, dyskinetic, ataxic, hypotonic types; Gross Motor Function Classification System levels I–V.

Guillain–Barré syndrome: ascending symmetrical weakness, areflexia, albuminocytologic dissociation in cerebrospinal fluid; monitor vital capacity.

Neuroplasticity principles: task specificity, repetition, salience, and intensity drive cortical reorganisation.

Normal respiratory rate 12–20/min; tidal volume 500 mL; vital capacity ~4,800 mL in males; FEV1/FVC ratio normally >0.70.

COPD: persistent airflow limitation with post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC <0.70; GOLD stages 1–4 by FEV1 percent predicted.

Asthma: reversible obstruction, diurnal variation, variability >12% in FEV1 or >10% in peak expiratory flow.

Pulmonary rehabilitation: 6–12 weeks, at least twice weekly, endurance and resistance training; improves dyspnoea and quality of life.

Active cycle of breathing technique: breathing control, thoracic expansion exercises, forced expiration technique.

Positive expiratory pressure and oscillating PEP devices mobilise secretions by altering airflow and creating shear.

Mechanical ventilation: plateau pressure <30 cmH2O, tidal volume 6 mL/kg predicted body weight in acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Early mobilisation in intensive care reduces ventilator days and intensive care length of stay; check sedation, lines, and haemodynamic stability.

Frailty phenotype: unintentional weight loss, exhaustion, low grip strength, slow gait speed, low physical activity; three or more indicates frailty.

Timed Up and Go: >13.5 seconds indicates increased fall risk; >30 seconds indicates dependence in mobility.

Berg Balance Scale 0–56; score <45 predicts falls; 41–56 independent, 21–40 walking with assistance, 0–20 wheelchair bound.

Sarcopenia: low muscle mass plus low strength or performance; resistance training and protein intake are core interventions.

Osteoporosis: T-score ≤−2.5 at hip or spine; weight-bearing and balance exercise reduce fracture risk.

Polypharmacy (≥5 medications) increases fall risk; sedatives, antihypertensives, and anticholinergics are common contributors.

Delirium: acute onset, fluctuating attention, disorientation; triggered by infection, pain, medication, and immobility.

Falls prevention multifactorial: strength and balance training, medication review, vision correction, home hazard modification.

Primary care physiotherapy triage: screen red flags, self-management capacity, and need for referral before treatment.

Stepped care model: low-intensity self-management first, then group or individual therapy, then specialist referral.

Health behaviour change: motivational interviewing, the transtheoretical model stages (precontemplation to maintenance).

Community rehabilitation supports ageing in place; home exercise adherence improves with written and pictorial programmes.

Screening for social determinants: housing, transport, social support, and health literacy affect attendance and outcomes.

Chronic disease self-management programmes reduce hospital admissions and improve symptom control.

Telerehabilitation effectiveness is comparable to in-person for many musculoskeletal and cardiac conditions when assessment is appropriate.

Referral pathways: general practitioner, specialist, and allied health; document consent and share information according to the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance.

Gross motor milestones: head control 3 months, sitting 6–8 months, crawling 9 months, walking 12–15 months.

Fine motor: palmar grasp 5 months, pincer grasp 9–10 months, scribbling 15 months.

Primitive reflexes: Moro disappears 4–6 months, asymmetric tonic neck reflex 4–6 months, palmar grasp 4–6 months.

Developmental dysplasia of the hip: Ortolani and Barlow tests in neonates; Pavlik harness for infants under 6 months.

Cerebral palsy classification: spastic, dyskinetic, ataxic, mixed; Gross Motor Function Classification System levels I–V.

Cystic fibrosis: autosomal recessive, CFTR mutation; airway clearance and exercise are central to physiotherapy.

Prematurity increases risk of cerebral palsy, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and developmental delay; corrected age is used until 2 years.

Consent and assent: parental consent for minors; seek child's assent according to age and understanding.

Pelvic floor muscle training is first-line for stress urinary incontinence; at least 8 contractions three times daily for 3 months.

Pelvic floor muscles: levator ani (pubococcygeus, iliococcygeus, puborectalis) and coccygeus.

Diastasis recti: inter-rectus distance >2 cm; avoid heavy loading and focus on transversus abdominis and breathing.

Antenatal exercise: moderate intensity, avoid supine position after 20 weeks if symptomatic, avoid contact sports and high fall risk.

Lymphoedema: complex decongestive therapy includes manual lymphatic drainage, compression, exercise, and skin care.

Oncology rehabilitation: fatigue management, exercise prescription, and precautions for bone metastases and thrombocytopenia.

Burns: scar management with pressure garments, stretching, and splinting to prevent contracture.

Amputee rehabilitation: residual limb shaping, prosthetic training, and gait re-education with energy expenditure considerations.

SOAP note format: Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan; each entry must be dated and signed.

SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.

Hypothesis-oriented clinical reasoning: generate hypotheses from history, test with examination, refine diagnosis.

Reliability: inter-rater and intra-rater; validity: construct, content, criterion.

Outcome measures: numeric pain rating scale, Patient-Specific Functional Scale, Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand, Oxford Hip Score.

Treatment planning considers impairment, activity limitation, participation restriction, and environmental factors per the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health.

Informed consent must be obtained before assessment and treatment; document capacity and any refusal.

Reassessment intervals: document change in impairment and function; modify plan if no progress within expected timeframe.

The Physiotherapists Registration Ordinance (Cap. 359) governs registration and practice in Hong Kong; the Physiotherapists Board is the statutory regulator.

Registration categories: full registration, limited registration, and temporary registration; practising certificate required annually.

Professional misconduct includes practising beyond competence, breaching confidentiality, and failing to obtain informed consent.

Consent: valid consent requires capacity, adequate information, and voluntariness; document refusal and consequences.

Confidentiality is protected under the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486); disclose only with consent or legal obligation.

Record keeping: accurate, contemporaneous, legible, retained according to legal and board requirements.

Scope of practice: work within training and competence; refer when the condition exceeds competence.

Mandatory reporting and duty of care: report suspected abuse and comply with court orders and statutory requests.

Hierarchy of evidence: systematic reviews and meta-analyses, randomised controlled trials, cohort studies, case-control studies, case series, expert opinion.

Randomisation reduces selection bias; blinding reduces detection and performance bias; allocation concealment prevents selection bias.

Sensitivity = true positives / (true positives + false negatives); specificity = true negatives / (true negatives + false positives).

Positive predictive value depends on prevalence; likelihood ratios are prevalence-independent.

Number needed to treat = 1 / absolute risk reduction.

Confidence interval: 95% interval excludes the null value if it does not include 1 for ratios or 0 for differences.

Intention-to-treat analysis preserves randomisation; per-protocol analysis can overestimate effect.

Critical appraisal: check study question, design, sample, blinding, outcome measurement, and applicability to the patient.

Standard precautions: hand hygiene, gloves, gown, mask, eye protection, and safe sharps handling for all patients.

Hand hygiene moments: before patient contact, before aseptic procedure, after body fluid exposure, after patient contact, after contact with surroundings.

Manual handling: assess load, keep load close, bend knees, avoid twisting, and use equipment such as hoists and slide sheets.

Safe patient handling: use hoists for dependent patients; two-person assist for partial weight bearing; never lift alone.

Fall prevention: bed brakes on, call bell within reach, non-slip footwear, and appropriate supervision.

Infection control for respiratory patients: segregate infectious patients, use airborne precautions for tuberculosis, and clean equipment between patients.

Needlestick injury: wash with soap and water, report immediately, and follow post-exposure prophylaxis protocol.

Medication and equipment safety: check device function, alarms, and oxygen supply before treatment.