Outcome measurement tools are specific tests and measures that your physical therapist may use to quantify your overall function. These tools are important, as they provide your therapist with a simple and effective way to measure yourmobility.Jose Luis Pelaez Inc. / Getty ImagesPurposeFunctional outcome measurement tools may serve many purposes. These include, but are not limited, to:To help in goal settingAs a means to provide motivationTo help guide treatmentTo provide a prognosis for your specific conditionTo provide justification for treatmentYour physical therapist may use many other measurements to help assess your progress in physical therapy. He or she may measure your strength and range of motion. Balance and posture may be assessed as well. But functional outcome measures are also important to help track your progress in physical therapy.Effective functional outcome measurement tools must meet certain criteria to be useful in the physical therapy clinic. First, they must be reliable, which means that the results must be consistent with each patient and within groups of patients. They must also be valid. The validity of an outcome measurement test means that it measures exactly what it is intended to measure.An effective outcome measurement test must also be easy to administer. Your physical therapist is likely quite busy, so the test must be practical and simple to perform. Outcome measurement tools must also be purposeful. A test of your balance must reflect your current function related to your balance ability.Common Outcome Measurement Tools Used in Physical TherapyCommon functional outcome measurement tools that your physical therapist may use include:The timed up and go (TUG) testThe Tinetti balance and gait evaluationThe Berg balance scaleThe six minute walk testThe functional reach testThe Oswestry low back pain disability questionnaireThe functional independence measureFunctional outcome measurement tools give you a baseline, and they can also be used to help get an idea of the goals you will have in physical therapy. If your TUG test is done in 19 seconds, you may set a goal to get it down to 10 seconds. (A TUG score at or more than 10 seconds indicates reduced physical capacity.)And nothing may motivate you more than reaching for that goal and hitting it out of the ballpark.If you are experiencing difficulty with functional mobility, you may benefit from physical therapy to help you return to normal activities again. If you attend physical therapy, be sure to inquire about your therapist’s use of functional outcome measurements.
Outcome measurement tools are specific tests and measures that your physical therapist may use to quantify your overall function. These tools are important, as they provide your therapist with a simple and effective way to measure yourmobility.
Jose Luis Pelaez Inc. / Getty Images
Purpose
Functional outcome measurement tools may serve many purposes. These include, but are not limited, to:
Your physical therapist may use many other measurements to help assess your progress in physical therapy. He or she may measure your strength and range of motion. Balance and posture may be assessed as well. But functional outcome measures are also important to help track your progress in physical therapy.
Effective functional outcome measurement tools must meet certain criteria to be useful in the physical therapy clinic. First, they must be reliable, which means that the results must be consistent with each patient and within groups of patients. They must also be valid. The validity of an outcome measurement test means that it measures exactly what it is intended to measure.
An effective outcome measurement test must also be easy to administer. Your physical therapist is likely quite busy, so the test must be practical and simple to perform. Outcome measurement tools must also be purposeful. A test of your balance must reflect your current function related to your balance ability.
Common Outcome Measurement Tools Used in Physical Therapy
Common functional outcome measurement tools that your physical therapist may use include:
Functional outcome measurement tools give you a baseline, and they can also be used to help get an idea of the goals you will have in physical therapy. If your TUG test is done in 19 seconds, you may set a goal to get it down to 10 seconds. (A TUG score at or more than 10 seconds indicates reduced physical capacity.)And nothing may motivate you more than reaching for that goal and hitting it out of the ballpark.
If you are experiencing difficulty with functional mobility, you may benefit from physical therapy to help you return to normal activities again. If you attend physical therapy, be sure to inquire about your therapist’s use of functional outcome measurements.
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Physical Therapy Association.Outcome Measures in Patient Care.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Timed Up & Go Assessment.Ferreira MB, Saraiva FA, Fonseca T, et al.Clinical associations and prognostic implications of 6-minute walk test in rheumatoid arthritis.Sci Rep. 2022;12(1):18672. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-21547-zKear BM, Guck TP, Mcgaha AL.Timed Up and Go (TUG) Test: Normative Reference Values for Ages 20 to 59 Years and Relationships With Physical and Mental Health Risk Factors.J Prim Care Community Health.2017;8(1):9-13. doi:10.1177/2150131916659282
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Physical Therapy Association.Outcome Measures in Patient Care.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Timed Up & Go Assessment.Ferreira MB, Saraiva FA, Fonseca T, et al.Clinical associations and prognostic implications of 6-minute walk test in rheumatoid arthritis.Sci Rep. 2022;12(1):18672. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-21547-zKear BM, Guck TP, Mcgaha AL.Timed Up and Go (TUG) Test: Normative Reference Values for Ages 20 to 59 Years and Relationships With Physical and Mental Health Risk Factors.J Prim Care Community Health.2017;8(1):9-13. doi:10.1177/2150131916659282
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Physical Therapy Association.Outcome Measures in Patient Care.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Timed Up & Go Assessment.Ferreira MB, Saraiva FA, Fonseca T, et al.Clinical associations and prognostic implications of 6-minute walk test in rheumatoid arthritis.Sci Rep. 2022;12(1):18672. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-21547-zKear BM, Guck TP, Mcgaha AL.Timed Up and Go (TUG) Test: Normative Reference Values for Ages 20 to 59 Years and Relationships With Physical and Mental Health Risk Factors.J Prim Care Community Health.2017;8(1):9-13. doi:10.1177/2150131916659282
American Physical Therapy Association.Outcome Measures in Patient Care.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Timed Up & Go Assessment.
Ferreira MB, Saraiva FA, Fonseca T, et al.Clinical associations and prognostic implications of 6-minute walk test in rheumatoid arthritis.Sci Rep. 2022;12(1):18672. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-21547-z
Kear BM, Guck TP, Mcgaha AL.Timed Up and Go (TUG) Test: Normative Reference Values for Ages 20 to 59 Years and Relationships With Physical and Mental Health Risk Factors.J Prim Care Community Health.2017;8(1):9-13. doi:10.1177/2150131916659282
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