Sarcouncil Journal of Internal Medicine and Public Health

Abstract: Pain scales, gait scores, and other traditional measures in physical therapy are long overdue in quantifying improvements in patients. Yet, these tests only give a partial and, at best, incomplete picture of recovery, because they are specific about symptoms and motor recovery. The following review examines the more widespread, comprehensive measures of success in the physical therapy field, going beyond standard instruments. It talks of the limits of pain and gait measures, the increasing use of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), functional evaluation, wearables, psychosocial biomarkers, and treatment adherence. Stress is put on the incorporation of the emotional, cognitive, and social aspects into the assessment schemes, which are in line with a biopsychosocial model of care. The article suggests that a multidimensional evaluation of the results of the treatment is in favor, which takes into account not only that the symptoms have been removed but also that actual functional improvement and patient success are achieved. By referencing articles with high impact, this review puts forward an original and updated concept of quantifying the success of physical therapy.