What role does a physical therapist play in stress assessment?

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The role being tested is that physical therapists address psychosocial factors, including stress, as part of patient care. Stress levels and tension can influence pain, mobility, and rehabilitation progress, so a PT uses a biopsychosocial approach: recognizing stress, practicing effective listening, evaluating how stress affects movement and symptoms, providing patient education, and teaching relaxation techniques to help manage stress and improve function. This holistic approach supports better outcomes and adherence to therapy. Prescribing sedatives, diagnosing mental illness, or treating only musculoskeletal pain without addressing stress fall outside the PT scope and responsibilities, and managers of those needs would involve other healthcare professionals.