Musculoskeletal Abbreviations

Musculoskeletal Abbreviations

There are many abbreviations specific to the field of physiotherapy, rehabilitation and health care. Many of the common abbreviation can be misinterpreted as they often represent different things. This can often be confusing to other physiotherapists, health care professionals and students alike. This resource was created to review the most common abbreviations and their meanings. This list is not complete as is this meant as an open project which will be added to as and when. If any viewer would like to comment on the content please feel free to do so.

Physiotherapy Abbreviations
Subjective Abbreviations

\	Postero-anterior (PA)
E	Antero-posterior (AP)
C	Unilateral PA’s on the left (UPA-Lt)
B	Unilateral PA’s on the right (UPA-Rt)
H	Rotation towards the right (Rot-Rt)
I	Rotation towards the left (Rot-Lt)
G	Side flexion to the right (SF-Rt)
F	Side flexion to the left (SF-Lt)
Q	Unilateral AP’s on the right (UAP-Rt)
P	Unilateral AP’s on the left (UAP-Lt)
L	Unilateral PA’s on the right on rib(UPA-Rt-rib)
M	Unilateral PA’s on the left on rib (UPA-Lt-rib)
_	Right side glide
`	Left side glide
^	Increased
]	Increased lots
\	Decreased
[	Decreased lots
̴	Approximately
>	More than or after
<	Less than
+	Lots
++	Lots and lots
+++	The most imaginable
+ve	Postive
-ve	Negative
°	No or none
∆	Diagnosis or change
√√	Checked and ok
→	Leads to
#	Fracture
//	Results in