HK Physio Registration key terms

The area of skin supplied by sensory fibres from a single spinal nerve root, mapped from C2 to S5. Clinicians use it to locate the level of a nerve-root lesion by testing pinprick and light touch.

The group of skeletal muscles innervated by motor fibres from a single spinal nerve root. Testing key muscles by root level (for example C5 deltoid, L4 tibialis anterior) helps localise motor radicular involvement.

Damage to motor pathways above the anterior horn cell, producing spasticity, hyperreflexia, clonus, extensor plantar responses and loss of fine dexterity rather than marked atrophy or fasciculation.

Damage to the anterior horn cell, motor root or peripheral nerve, producing flaccid weakness, atrophy, fasciculation, hypotonia and reduced or absent reflexes in the affected muscles.

A velocity-dependent increase in tonic stretch reflexes with exaggerated tendon jerks, resulting from hyper-excitability of the stretch reflex after upper motor neuron damage. It may impair function, comfort and hygiene.

Signs and symptoms arising from compression or irritation of a spinal nerve root, typically producing dermatomal pain or numbness, myotomal weakness and reduced reflex at the corresponding level.

Clinical features suggesting serious pathology such as fracture, infection, malignancy or cauda equina syndrome, requiring urgent medical referral rather than routine physiotherapy management. Examples include night pain, unexplained weight loss and saddle anaesthesia.

Compression of the lumbosacral nerve roots below the conus medullaris, causing saddle anaesthesia, bladder or bowel dysfunction, bilateral leg weakness and perineal sensory loss. It is a surgical emergency requiring same-day referral.

Skilled passive movement techniques applied to joints and soft tissues, including mobilisation, manipulation and traction, used to reduce pain and improve movement within a broader active rehabilitation plan.

Passive oscillatory or sustained accessory movements applied within or at the limit of a joint's range, graded by amplitude and position, aiming to modulate pain and restore mobility.

A validated decision tool combining several examination findings to estimate the probability of a diagnosis or likely response to a treatment, such as manipulation for low back pain.

A degenerative joint disorder involving cartilage loss, subchondral change and synovial inflammation, causing activity-related pain, stiffness and reduced function. Exercise and weight management are core physiotherapy interventions.

A chronic systemic autoimmune inflammatory arthritis affecting synovial joints, typically symmetric and involving hands and feet, with morning stiffness and fatigue. Physiotherapy focuses on joint protection, exercise and fatigue management during flares.

The capacity of the nervous system to reorganise its structure and function in response to experience, injury and training. It underpins task-specific, repetitive and intensive rehabilitation after stroke or brain injury.

Rehabilitation that practises meaningful functional activities closely resembling real-world tasks, rather than isolated muscle actions, to promote transfer of learning and neural reorganisation.

An intensive intervention for hemiparesis in which the less affected limb is restrained while the affected limb is trained in repetitive functional tasks, typically for several hours daily over consecutive weeks.

A six-point ordinal clinical scale grading resistance to passive movement in spasticity, from no increase in tone to rigid flexion or extension, commonly used to monitor change after intervention.

A 3-to-15 score assessing eye opening, verbal response and motor response to define level of consciousness after brain injury. It guides monitoring, prognosis and escalation of care.

The maximum volume of air a person can exhale forcefully after a full inspiration, measured by spirometry. It is reduced in restrictive disorders and used to monitor neuromuscular respiratory weakness.

The proportion of forced vital capacity exhaled in the first second. A reduced ratio indicates airflow obstruction, while a normal or raised ratio with reduced FVC suggests restriction.

The maximum expiratory flow generated during a cough, measured with a peak flow meter. Low values indicate weak cough and risk of secretion retention, guiding airway clearance and ventilator weaning decisions.

Methods such as postural drainage, active cycle of breathing, autogenic drainage, oscillating positive expiratory pressure and assisted cough used to mobilise and clear retained bronchopulmonary secretions.

A supervised, multidisciplinary programme of exercise training, education and self-management for people with chronic respiratory disease, improving breathlessness, exercise capacity and quality of life.

A submaximal field test measuring the greatest distance walked in six minutes along a standard corridor. It assesses functional exercise capacity and is used across cardiorespiratory, neurological and older-person rehabilitation.

A structured evaluation of factors predisposing an older person to falls, including gait, balance, strength, vision, medication, cognition and environment, to guide a multifactorial prevention plan.

A syndrome of reduced physiological reserve and increased vulnerability to stressors, marked by unintentional weight loss, exhaustion, weakness, slow gait and low activity. It informs exercise prescription and discharge planning.

Age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength, contributing to falls, disability and loss of independence. Progressive resistance training and adequate protein intake are key countermeasures.

A 14-item performance measure scoring static and dynamic balance tasks out of 56, widely used to quantify balance, track change and estimate falls risk in older adults and neurological rehabilitation.

Supervised progressive exercises to strengthen and coordinate the pelvic floor, first-line conservative treatment for stress urinary incontinence and also used in prolapse and antenatal or postnatal care.

Separation of the rectus abdominis muscles along the linea alba, common in pregnancy and postpartum, assessed by inter-recti distance and managed with graded loading and trunk stability training.

A five-level system describing self-initiated movement and need for assistive devices in children with cerebral palsy, used to communicate function, predict prognosis and set realistic goals.

An individualised outcome method in which goals are defined with five levels of expected outcome and converted to a standardised score, useful for capturing meaningful change in rehabilitation.

A validated instrument or scale used to quantify a patient's status or change over time, chosen for its reliability, validity, responsiveness and relevance to the goals of therapy.

The smallest change in an outcome score that a patient would perceive as beneficial, used to judge whether a statistically significant result is clinically meaningful.

The number of patients who must receive an intervention for one additional patient to benefit, calculated as the reciprocal of the absolute risk reduction. Lower values indicate greater clinical benefit.

The ratio of the probability of a test result in people with the condition to that in people without it. Positive and negative likelihood ratios indicate how much a test shifts diagnostic probability.

A patient's voluntary agreement to assessment or treatment after receiving and understanding information about its nature, benefits, risks and alternatives, given by a person with capacity.

The cognitive process by which a clinician gathers and interprets findings, forms and tests hypotheses, and selects and revises a management plan in partnership with the patient.

Routine infection control practices applied to all patients, including hand hygiene, use of gloves and other protective equipment, safe sharps handling and environmental cleaning, regardless of known infection status.

Additional infection control measures beyond standard precautions, including contact, droplet and airborne precautions, applied according to the suspected or confirmed infectious agent.

The safe use of technique and equipment to move, transfer or support patients and loads, minimising musculoskeletal injury risk to staff and patients through assessment, communication and assistive devices.