Upper Extremity Pre-Exam Form in Abilene
Shoulder, elbow, wrist or hand, an arm that does not work properly interrupts roughly everything. Here are the questions your therapist will ask at our Abilene clinic, written out ahead of time so your first visit can start with the examination.
What your upper extremity pre-exam covers.
Arms are measured in reach, not in pain scores. Whether you can get a plate down from the top shelf, fasten a seatbelt, put a coat on without a manoeuvre, sleep on that side. Those are the things we test, and they are the things these questions are about.
Go through them before your visit and answer what you can. Nothing is submitted on this page and nothing needs printing. When you are ready for an appointment, the booking form further down is all you need.
Which side, and how far it reaches
Which arm, and whether it is your dominant one. Then test yourself at home: can you reach straight overhead to a top shelf, behind your back to a rear pocket or a bra strap, across your body to the opposite shoulder? Note where the movement stops and whether it stops from pain or from stiffness.
Shoulder pain →Night pain and how you sleep
Shoulders tell the truth at night. Does it wake you, and does it wake you every night or only after a heavy day? Which side do you sleep on now, and which side did you used to sleep on before this started? Tell us if you have moved to a recliner, because that is useful information.
Request an appointment →Grip, dropping things and numb fingers
Whether jar lids, door handles and tools have got harder. Whether anything has slipped out of your hand without warning. Then be precise about numbness: thumb, index and middle is a different story from ring and little finger, and tingling that wakes you at night is different again.
Elbow, wrist & hand →How it started, and what the arm has to do
A fall, a catch, a lift that went wrong, or no single event at all. Any previous dislocation, fracture or surgery on that arm. Then the demands: overhead work, tools and vibration, a keyboard and mouse all day, lifting at the shop, throwing, quilting, gardening, hauling a grandchild around.
Call (785) 263-3646 →What to bring to your first visit
- Your prescription, if a physician has already written you one
- Your driver’s licence or another photo ID
- Your insurance cards, or your Worker’s Comp or auto claim information
- A list of your medications with the dosage and how often you take them
- Copies of any X-ray, MRI or CT reports for that shoulder, elbow, wrist or hand
- Your personal calendar, so we can schedule the rest of your visits before you leave
Bring any sling, brace or splint you have been given, and wear a top that lets us see the shoulder. Kansas direct access means most patients can start physical therapy without a physician referral. Some insurance plans still require one for coverage, so we verify your specific plan before your first visit and tell you exactly where you stand.
Your Abilene clinic
If writing is the thing that hurts, do not write. Call (785) 263-3646 and answer these on the phone, or arrive a few minutes early and go through them with us at the front desk. Nobody is turned away for coming in with nothing prepared. Use the form below and we will call you back to confirm a time.