Problem #10

Elizabeth is a 70 year-old female who recently underwent a right mastectomy nine months ago and is now referred to you for physical therapy intervention. As you initiate the subjective assessment, Elizabeth reports that she has lung cancer and the chest pain is unbearable at times. She asks if ultrasound might help her tolerate the pain better (her best friend who was treated by a chiropractor low back pain swears by it).

Subjective:

• Elizabeth has led a very active lifestyle up to now.
• Elizabeth inquires if she really is required to participate in physical therapy.

Objective:

• Strength: Left UE: Fair+, Right UE: Poor+, Bilateral LEs: Fair+
• Endurance: Poor, unable to ambulate greater than 20 feet without resting 5 minutes
• ROM: Left UE grossly WNL, Right UE: severe shoulder restriction (loss of 20 to 30 degrees in all motions), Bilateral LEs: grossly WNL
• Limb circumferences: Right UE: You started to take these measurements, but there is a "must see" in one day surgery (ambulatory surgery), so you ask Theresa (PTA) if she could finish this part of the assessment for you.

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