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Sara Oakman

RC 2001-128

Professor Brown

2/22/2021

Discourse in the Field of Physical Therapy

Exercise Science is the science of how and why the body and its parts function the way

they do. Exercise Science or commonly known as exercise physiology, includes a large realm of

occupations from athletic trainer, physical therapy, research, and personal trainers, to

military-related occupations and sports broadcasting (Potteiger, 2018). Because of the vastness of

this field discourse in the entire field varies greatly but specifically within physical therapy under

the scope of exercise science, discourse is more concrete. Discourse in the field of physical

therapy is very similar to that of any other medical-related field. Physical therapy discourse

consists mainly of anatomical positions, patient notes, and medical terminology.

Anatomical positioning and terminology are very important within the field of physical

therapy because these words very specifically describe the body and what side as well as which

limb and area of the limb being referred to (Biga, 2021). A few of these terms include distal and

proximal which refer to the distance a point on a limb is from the trunk of the body (Biga, 2021).

Physical therapists use these terms in everyday situations when dealing with clients and

especially in notes so that the exact location of an injury or pain is defined. The purpose of this is

to assess and give directions for treatment. Anatomical terminology is ever-evolving and very

detailed but not often heard outside of the medical community.

Patient notes are documented information on every single patient which defines what

exactly the client is being seen for and which treatment options have been given or started. This
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documentation is very important for both the practice the physical therapist works in as well as

the patient's physician. If by chance, the patient leaves the practice or sees a different physical

therapist these notes will be reviewed and analyzed (Kettenbach, 2016). Oftentimes, these notes

are written in the SOAP note form which stands for subjective, objective, assessment, and plan

(Kettenbach, 2016). These notes are brief but accurately describe the diagnosis and critical

information about the patient such as past medical conditions and prescription medication the

patient takes (Kettenbach, 2016). Within these notes, medical terminology is often used which is

another large portion of physical therapy discourse.

Medical terminology is also another important concept within the discourse of exercise

science. Medical terminology such as names of diagnoses, injuries, medications, and treatments

is a critical part of a physical therapist’s job (Kisner, 2013). When filling out notes, talking with

other physicians, physical therapists, or surgeons to discuss a patient’s injuries or treatments,

medical terminology must be used so that other physicians understand the concepts (Kisner,

2013). When receiving a patient's medical file from a physician or surgeon for a referral on a

patient one medical terminology must be comprehended to understand the diagnosis the patient

is going to be seen for (Kisner, 2013). On the other hand, it is critical to not use medical

terminology with a patient because it would be difficult for the patient to understand (Kisner,

2013).

Discourse within the field of physical therapy under the overall field of exercise science

consists of anatomical positioning/movements, patient notes, and medical terminology. Although

there is much more to discourse than these few aspects, these cover the majority of the different

aspects. It is vital within the physical therapy field to learn the discourse so that communication

can be comprehended without translation except when communicating with patients.

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Bibliography

Biga, L., Dawson, S., Harwell, A., Hopkins, R., Kaufmann, J., LeMaster, M., . . . Runyeon, J.

(2021). 1.4 anatomical TERMINOLOGY. Retrieved February 16, 2021, from

https://open.oregonstate.education/aandp/chapter/1-4-anatomical-terminology/

Kettenbach, G., & Schlomer, S. L. (2016). Writing patient/client notes: Ensuring accuracy in

documentation. In Writing patient/client notes: Ensuring accuracy in documentation (pp.

Ch.8-Ch.13). Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis Company.

Kisner, C., & Colby, L. A. (2013). Therapeutic exercise: Foundations and techniques. In

Therapeutic exercise: Foundations and techniques (5th ed., p. 180). Philadelphia, PA:

F.A. Davis

Potteiger, J. A. (2018). Careers and Professional Issues in Exercise Science. In ACSM's

introduction to exercise science (pp. 423-433). Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer.