Medical Abbreviations/FPT Midterm

(A), (a)

Assistance (typically qualified with the amount of assistance such as min, mod, or max)

A: or A

Assessment (SOAP note documentation)

ā

before

AAO X3

Alert, awake, and oriented to date, person, place

AAROM

Active assistive (or assisted) range of motion

abd or ABD

abduction

ABG(s)

Arterial blood gas(es)

AC

Acromioclavicular

A.c or ac

before a meal

ACCE

Academic coordinator of clinical education

ACL

Anterior cruciate ligament

AD

Assistive device, Alzheimer's disease, advance directive

ADA

Americans with Disabilities Act

ad lib

as desired

add or ADD

Adduction

ADL

Activities of daily living

AE

Above elbow

AFO

ankle-foot orthosis

AIDS

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome

AK

above knee

AKA

above knee amputation

am or a.m.

Before noon; morning

AMA

Against medical advice; American Medical Association

AMB or amb.

Ambulate; ambulation

ANS

Autonomic Nervous System

APTA

American Physical Therapy Association

AROM

Active range of motion

ASA

Aspirin

ASIS

Anterior superior iliac spine

Asst, assist

Assistance, assist

ATC

Athletic trainer, certified

B

bilateral; both

BADL

Basic activities of daily living

BBB

Blood-brain barrier

BE

Below elbow

BI

Brain injury

bid or BID

Twice daily or twice a day

Bil, bilat

bilateral

bin or BIN

twice at night

BK

below knee

BKA

Below knee amputation

BLE or (B)LE

Bilateral lower extremities

BM

Bowel movement

BMI

Body mass index

BOS

base of support

BP

blood pressure; bed pan

BPM or bpm

beats per minute

BRP

Bathroom privileges

B/S

bedside

BUE or (B)UE

Bilateral upper extremities

c̅

with

C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, C7, C8

Cervical spinal column levels/nerve root positions

CA

Cancer

CABG

Coronary artery bypass graft

CAT

Computerized axial tomography

CBC

Complete blood count

c/c or C/C

Chief complaint

CCCE

Center coordinator of clinical education (more current term is SCCE)

CDC

Center for Disease Control and Prevention

CGA

Contact guard assistance

CHF

Congestive Heart Failure

CHI

Closed head injury

CI

Clinical Instructor

CMC

Carpometacarpal (joint)

CMS

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (formerly Healthcare Finance Administration)

CNA

Certified nursing assistant

CNS

Central nervous system

c/o or C/O

complains of

COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

COTA

Certified occupational therapist assistant

CPI

Clinical performance instrument

CPM

Continuous passive motion

CPR

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation

CPT

Current Procedural Terminology

CSF

Cerebrospinal fluid

CT

Computed tomography

CVA

Cerebrovascular accident

cx

Cancel; crutches

F or 3/5

Fair (manual muscle test)

F

Female

FU or F/U

follow-up

FDA

US Food and Drug Administration

FIM

Functional Independence Measure

fl

Fluid

FLEX

Flexion

FOR

Functional outcome report

FSBPT

Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy

FWB

Full weight bearing

FWW

Front-wheeled walker

fx

fracture

m

Muscle

M

Male

max

maximum, maximal

MCID

Minimal clinically important difference

MCL

Medial collateral ligament

MCP

Metacarpophalangeal (joint)

MD

Muscular dystrophy, medical doctor/physician

MDC

Minimal detectable change

MEDS or meds

Medicines, medications

MI

Myocardial infarction