The US Census Bureau released a report in March of 2011 revealing that between 2000 and 2010 the US Hispanic population grew 43 percent from 35.3 million to 50.5 million. Its share of the total population rose from 13 to 16 percent. That accounts for more than half the total US population growth since 2000. Given this growth in the Hispanic population, it may not be uncommon to encounter patients who either speak limited English or no English at all in the physical therapy setting.
As a physical therapist who has taken Spanish in both high school and college, I have found this added skill invaluable when working with Spanish speaking patients who present with a language barrier. Having some ability to communicate with these patients not only makes working with and treating these patients easier, but further establishes a level of comfort and trust when developing the patient & therapist relationship. Below are some medical Spanish tips which I hope therapists will find helpful when communicating with Spanish speaking patients when conducting an initial evaluation. Click Here for pdf version of article
Subjective:
Me llamo (your name here). – My name is (your name here).
Soy su terapeuta f�sico . – I am your physical therapist
�C�mo est�s? – How are you?
�En que trabaja? - What do you do for a living?
�Qu� occuri�? - What happened?
Le practicaron una cirug�a. – You had surgery.
�Te ca�ste? - Did you fall?
�Tuviste un accidente? - Were you in an accident?
�Cu�ndo occuri�? - When did it happen?
�Por cu�nto tiempo ha tenido el problema? - How long have you had the problem?
�Ha ocurrido antes en el pasado? – Has it happened before in the past?
�En d�nde se lastim�? - Where did you get hurt?
�Tiene dolor? – Do you have pain?
�D�nde le duele? – Where does it hurt? (see Figure 1)
Elija el dolor. – Point to the pain. (see Figure 1)
Figure 1 - Anatomical Parts in Spanish
Describa su dolor. – Describe your pain.
�Es agudo (sharp), sordo (dull), adolorido (achy), punzante (throbbing), quemante (burning), s�bito (shooting), punzante (stabbing)? – Is the pain sharp, dull, achy, throbbing, burning, shooting, stabbing?
�Cu�nto dolor tiene usted en una escala de cero a diez donde cero es la ausencia de dolor y diez es el dolor m�s fuerte? - How much pain do you have on a scale of 0-10 with 0 being no pain and 10 being the worst pain?
�Tiene alg�n entumecimiento u hormigueo? - Do you have any numbness or tingling?
�Le duele al sentarse (sit), pararse (stand), caminar (walk), agacharse (bend), levantar (lift), se agacha (squat), transportar (carry), subir escaleras (climb stairs)? - Does it hurt to sit, stand, walk, bend, lift, squat, carry, climb stairs?
�Qu� alivia su dolor?? - What gives you relief?
�Es su (body part ie. espalda) r�gida? Is your (body part – see Figure 1 ie. back) stiff?
�Qu� son sus objetivos con la terapia? - What are your goals for therapy.
Objective:
Parese por favor. - Please sit up.
Si�ntese por favor. – Please sit down.
Acu�stese sobre su espalda. – Lie down on you back.
Acu�stese de frente. – Lie on your front.
Boca abajo – Face down
Boca arriba – Face up
Voltee – Turn over to your other side.
Dolor - Pain
�Le duele cuando hago esto? – Does it hurt when I do this?
Dime cu�ndo duele. – Tell me when it hurts.
Levante esto (body part ie. brazo). - Raise this (body part –see Figure 1 - arm)
Mueva su (body part ie. brazo). - Move your (body part – see Figure 1 – arm)
Me gustar�a examinar su fuerza. – I would like to test your strength.
Me gustar�a poner a prueba su rango de movimiento. – I would like to test your range of motion.
Mantenga esta posici�n. – Hold this position.
No me deje moverlo. – Don’t let me move you.
Mant�ngalo derecho. – Keep it straight.
Incl�nese hacia adelante – Bend forward
Doblar hacia atr�s – Bend backward
Doble a la izquierda – Bend to the left.
Doble a la derecha – Bend to the right
Gire a la derecha – Turn to the right
Gire a la izquierda – Turn to the left
Res�steme – Resist me
M�s Fuerte – Harder
Rel�jese – Relax
Haga este ejercicio. – Do this exercise.
Camine para m�. – Walk for me.
Sigue lo que hago. – Follow what I do.
Aqu� – here
Tome un descanso. - Take a break.
Assessment:
Usted tiene debilidad. – You have weakness.
Usted tiene la rigidez. – You have stiffness.
Usted tiene los m�sculos tensos. – You have tight muscles.
Usted se esguinzo en un ligamento. – You sprained a ligament.
Usted se desgarr� un ligamento. You tore a ligament.
Usted se desgarr� un m�sculo. – You pulled a muscle.
Usted tiene problemas de equilibrio. – You have balance problems.
Usted tiene tendinitis. – You have tendonitis.
Usted tiene una hernia discal. – You have a slipped disc.
Usted tiene problemas con su mec�nica. - You have problems with your mechanics.
Usted tiene problemas con su postura. – You have problems with your posture.
Usted tiene artritis. – You have arthritis.
Usted tuvo un derrame cerebral. – You had a stroke.
Le practicaron una cirug�a. – You had surgery.
El nervio se irrita. – The nerve is irritated.
Plan:
Me gustar�a que vinieras a la terapia dos veces por semana durante cuatro semanas. – I would like you to come to therapy 2 x a week for 4 weeks.
Uno – 1, Dos – 2, Tres –3, Cuatro – 4, Cinco – 5
Usted recibir� tratamiento, el cual incluye: – You will be seen for treatment including:
- Ejercicio terap�utico – Therapeutic exercise
- Fortalecimiento – Strengthening
- Estabilizaci�n – Stabilization
- Estiramiento – Stretching
- El rango de movimiento – Range of motion
- Entrenamiento de la postura – Postural training
- El entrenamiento funcional – Functional training
- Masaje – Massage
- Manual de Terapia – Manual therapy
- Conjunto movilizaciones – Joint Mobilizations
- Balance de la formaci�n – Balance training
- Modalidades - Modalities
Last revised: May 15, 2011
by Chai Rasavong, MPT, MBA
