Introduction
The Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) is a reliable and valid outcome measure used to record and monitor changes in lower extremity function. This paper will evaluate how the LEFS can be utilized to track the improvement of Tom, a 36-year-old businessman who participates in vigorous outdoor fitness activities and recently visited a physical therapist due to distress in his knees. The LEFS is a valuable measure of Tom’s progress, tracking alterations in lower-extremity function during exercise and providing essential information about his development.
Application of LEFS to a Knee Case Study
The LEFS is a performance-based scale that measures lower extremity function and includes twenty items divided into four domains: pain, problems with activities, lower extremity function, and quality of life. Each domain is scored on a scale from zero to twenty-four, and the total score is calculated by summing the scores from the four domains. The LEFS can help evaluate Tom’s progress in strengthening his hip abductors and external rotators by tracking changes in lower-extremity function throughout his exercise sessions.
The LEFS can provide important information about the progress of Tom’s strength training program. For example, the LEFS can measure changes in the lower extremity function before and after a specific exercise or workout (Houglum et al., 2022). This will allow Tom to compare his performance before and after the exercise, and determine if his strength training program has a positive effect. The LEFS can also be employed to observe the patient’s advancement over time and ascertain if his lower extremity functioning is improving.
The LEFS is an effective tool for determining if Tom is positively changing his strength training program. Tom can utilize the LEFS to objectively measure his lower extremity function by examining the scores from the four domains before, during, and after exercise (Houglum et al., 2022). This allows him to track changes in his performance and observe whether his lower extremity function is improving.
In addition to measuring changes in lower extremity function, the LEFS can also determine if Tom is experiencing pain during or after exercise. Tom can utilize the LEFS’ pain domain score to ensure his workouts are advantageous and secure. This score evaluates the individual’s pain before, during, and after physical activity, and can alert him to any distress he may experience during or after his workout (Houglum et al., 2022). With this in mind, Tom can tailor his strength training program to safeguard himself from harm. Finally, the LEFS can measure changes in Tom’s quality of life. The score will tell him whether or not his quality of life has improved.
Conclusion
In summary, the LEFS effectively tracks Tom’s progress by assessing changes in lower-extremity function before, during, and after exercise, offering valuable insights into his improvement. By comparing the scores of the four domains of the LEFS, Tom can ascertain if his lower extremity function is improving, if he feels any pain or discomfort during or after his workouts, and if his strength training program is providing beneficial results for his overall well-being.
Reference
Houglum, D. E., Boyle-Walker, K. L., & Houglum, P. A. (2022). Rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries. Human Kinetics.