Extremity

Findings on structures outside the spine. Despite the name, the catalog covers more than bones and joints — muscles, tendons and ligaments are all in there.

Selecting what you examined

Choose the region, then the specific bone, joint or structure, then left or right. That combination is what activates the findings.

Some structures have no side

Whether left/right applies depends on the structure. A midline structure such as the sternum is not two-sided, and is set up that way in the catalog.

Findings

The core findings are the same ones used on Objective — pain, edema, temperature, hypertonicity and hypotonicity, the subluxation listings, fixation grading, and the adjustment technique indicators.

The listings here are a superset of the spinal ones: they include everything used on the spine plus listings that only occur in the extremities.

Extremity-only codes

Two additional sets, both multi-select:

Subluxation area

Code	Meaning		Code	Meaning
CLR	Clear list		JAM	Approximation / compression / jamming
EXF	Expiration fault or fixation		PRO	Pronation
INF	Inspiration fault or fixation		SUP	Supination
ERO	External rotation		SEP	Separation
IRO	Internal rotation

Appearance

Code	Meaning		Code	Meaning
NOR	Normal		DCL	Discoloration
ABM	Abnormal		DFG	Deformity — congenital or inherited
ASY	Asymmetry		DFS	Deformity — surgical
ATR	Atrophy		DFT	Deformity — traumatic
BOP	Bone protrusion		DIS	Dislocation
LES	Lesions		SCR	Scarring

Contradictory codes sort themselves out

You can select several codes at once. Where two cannot both be true — internal and external rotation, say — selecting one clears the other automatically rather than refusing the entry.

There's a legend built in

View Abbreviations lists every code with its meaning, so you don't have to hold them in your head.

Adjustment results

Where you adjusted, you can record what happened: no movement despite the patient tolerating the pressure, movement that was small, moderate or substantial, and grades noting improvement.

One result per item — they are mutually exclusive. Recording a result is entirely optional, and practices vary in whether they do it every visit, on some items only, or never.

Technique indicators generate nothing

Deliberately absent from the note

As on the spine, the adjustment technique indicators are in-office reference only. They produce no text in SOAP notes or narratives, specifically to avoid raising questions with claims examiners and auditors.

If you are wondering why your technique never appears in the generated note — that is why, and it is intentional.

Additional information

Five lists covering what else affects the extremity — birth defects, drug effects, disease, anomalies and treatments already applied — plus a free-text notes tab.

Saving

Save generates the narrative, which you can edit, then OK – Save Note commits it.

Committed reports are amended by addendum only

See the Exam overview.

Getting the exam into today's note

Same date, and saved before the note is generated

See the Exam overview.