Why Use Functional Outcome Measures?
• These tools helps clearly identify (for both you and your therapist) the particular functional aspects of daily life with which you are having difficulty. These items then become incorporated into the overall goals of your physical therapy program. • The FOM helps focus treatment on your functional difficulties, rather than the impairments of strength or range-of-motion, as changes in these impairments likely do not correlate with actual functional change (i.e., your strength may improve, but not your ability to lift your child)13 • You may be asked to periodically re-complete the FOM in order to: • Ensure that progress is being made, and at the expected rate • If no progression has been noted, it may be beneficial for you and your PT to re-assess your condition to be sure nothing has been overlooked • By comparing your initial and discharge FOM’s, we can assess improvements in your function • Understanding the impact of treatments on FOM greatly assists us in documenting the effecti
