Glossary
Physical Therapist Terms & Vocabulary
15 essential physical therapist terms with plain-English definitions: the vocabulary you’ll hear in training and on day one.
Key physical therapist vocabulary
These 15 terms come up constantly in physical therapist training, on the job and in interviews. Knowing them helps you follow instructions, document accurately and sound prepared.
- Direct access
- Seeing a PT without a referral.
- DPT
- Doctor of Physical Therapy.
- Fall risk
- Likelihood of falling.
- Functional outcome
- Ability to do daily tasks.
- Gait
- Walking pattern.
- Goniometer
- Tool measuring joint angles.
- Home exercise program
- Exercises for home.
- Manual therapy
- Hands-on treatment.
- Modalities
- Heat, ice or electrical stimulation.
- Neuro rehab
- Rehab after brain or nerve injury.
- Plan of care
- Treatment goals and plan.
- Proprioception
- Body position sense.
- PTA
- Physical therapist assistant.
- Range of motion
- How far a joint moves.
- Therapeutic exercise
- Exercise to restore function.
Practice these terms
Test yourself with the free Physical Therapist practice test: it includes vocabulary questions built from this list. For a complete course, see Physical Therapist training.
Browse terms from every career in our career glossary.