PhysicalTherapy.com Phone: 866-782-6258


Beyond Subjective Pain Rating

Michelle A. Fritsch, Pharm.D., CGP, BCACP

August 25, 2015

Question

Besides asking the patient their pain rating what else would be appropriate to ask when asking about their pain?  

Answer

Pain can be a deterrent to PT.  Helpful questions you can ask a patient about their pain, besides their current pain rating, are:

·       What is your tolerable pain level?

·       What are you experiencing?

·       Does pain limit your daily activity?

·       What medications have you taken today?

Continued and its subsidiaries provide professional education authored by qualified Subject Matter Experts for continuing education purposes. These materials are intended for educational purposes and do not constitute medical advice or a substitute for individual clinical judgment. Continued is not a clinical healthcare provider; the licensed professional is solely responsible for ensuring that the application of any techniques or information presented is within their legal scope of practice and jurisdictional requirements.


michelle a fritsch

Michelle A. Fritsch, Pharm.D., CGP, BCACP

Michelle Fritsch, Pharm.D., CGP, BCACP is a clinical pharmacist with a passion for geriatric health and education.  She is currently founder of Meds MASH, LLC, a company dedicated to reducing risks posed by medications and falls in mature adults.  She was from 2008-2014 founding Professor and Chair, Department of Clinical and Administrative Sciences at the Notre Dame of Maryland University School of Pharmacy in Baltimore, Maryland.  Dr. Fritsch received her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy and Doctor of Pharmacy degrees from Purdue University.  She then completed a primary care residency at the William S. Middleton Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Madison, Wisconsin.  Prior to her arrival at the Notre Dame of Maryland University, Dr. Fritsch founded and directed the Alamance Medication Assistance Program (AlaMAP) of Alamance Regional Medical Center (ARMC) in Burlington, North Carolina from 1997 to 2008.  The AlaMAP clinic provides medication therapy management and medication access to a geriatric population in Alamance County, North Carolina.

 

 


Related Courses

Pharmacology for Heart Failure and COPD: Implications for Physical Therapy
Presented by Melissa Bednarek, PT, DPT, PhD, CCS
Recorded Webinar

Presenter

Melissa Bednarek, PT, DPT, PhD, CCS
Course: #5175Level: Intermediate2 Hours
  'I enjoyed the visual and colorful diagrams showing blood flow to and from the heart'   Read Reviews
Heart failure (HF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are two chronic conditions for which medications and physical therapy are important parts of treatment. Thus, therapists across the healthcare continuum need to appreciate the indications, mechanism of action, side effects, and implications for physical therapy for the various medication classes for HF and COPD.

The Salzman Matrix: Combining Cognitive & Motor Tasks with Purpose
Presented by Andrea Salzman, PT, MS
Recorded Webinar

Presenter

Andrea Salzman, PT, MS
Course: #5381Level: Introductory2 Hours
  'great ideas combining cognition and movement with the carry over'   Read Reviews
Cognition and movement are tightly linked in functional activity, yet integrating them in rehabilitation can be challenging. While dual-task training is commonly used, poorly matched cognitive demands can interfere with motor performance and learning. This introductory course introduces the Salzman Matrix, an evidence-aligned clinical reasoning framework designed to guide purposeful cognitive–motor integration while minimizing interference. Participants will learn how to distinguish cognitive processes that support movement from cognitive demands that commonly compete with motor goals, and how to apply this framework to functional treatment planning and documentation across rehabilitation settings.

Mobile Physical Therapy - What Is It and How Do I Do It?
Presented by Rachel Botkin, PT, MPT, Advanced Competency in Home Health
Recorded Webinar

Presenter

Rachel Botkin, PT, MPT, Advanced Competency in Home Health
Course: #4145Level: Intermediate2 Hours
  'good baseline info regarding a model of care to aim toward to optimize care'   Read Reviews
Are you feeling pressure in your home health practice to discharge patients quickly? Do you have a high cancellation/no-show rate in your outpatient practice due to transportation/accessibility issues? The answer to both of these dilemmas may be Mobile PT. This course is directly related to the practice of physical therapy and is therefore appropriate for the PT/PTA.

Obesity-Related Mobility Limitations: Tips and Tricks for the PT and OT Provider
Presented by Andrea Salzman, PT, MS
Recorded Webinar

Presenter

Andrea Salzman, PT, MS
Course: #5443Level: Introductory2 Hours
  'the powerpoint presentation'   Read Reviews
This 2-hour introductory webinar equips physical and occupational therapy providers with evidence-based strategies to effectively address mobility limitations in patients with obesity. Participants will learn practical, immediately applicable techniques for exercise prescription, environmental modifications, and patient-centered care approaches. The course covers the biomechanical and physiological factors affecting mobility in this population, evidence-based rehabilitation interventions, and clinical tips for creating safe, supportive treatment environments. Ideal for clinicians seeking to enhance their confidence and competence in treating patients with obesity-related functional limitations.

Deconditioning After Hospitalization or Illness: Tips and Tricks for the PT and OT Provider
Presented by Andrea Salzman, PT, MS
Live WebinarWed, Oct 21, 2026 at 3:00 pm EDT
Wed, Oct 21, 2026 at 3:00 pm EDT

Presenter

Andrea Salzman, PT, MS
Course: #5466Level: Introductory2 Hours
A patient may survive an illness or hospitalization and still come home unable to do the ordinary things that made up daily life before admission. Walking to the bathroom, getting off the toilet, showering, dressing, preparing a meal, climbing steps, carrying objects, and tolerating a normal morning routine may suddenly require substantial effort or assistance.This course gives PT and OT practitioners a highly functional approach to hospital- and illness-associated deconditioning. Rather than treating weakness and endurance as isolated impairments, participants will learn to connect strength, power, balance, mobility, cognition, fatigue, and cardiopulmonary tolerance directly to meaningful daily tasks. Practical cases will demonstrate how to identify the functional bottleneck, choose the right starting dose, build activity into real-life tasks, progress without overwhelming the patient, and translate clinic gains into independence at home. Emphasis is placed on immediately usable strategies for transfers, ADLs, household mobility, stairs, pacing, task modification, home programs, and return to everyday routines. This course is designed for an interprofessional audience.