Final answer:
A CTRS should use muscle strength testing to determine a client's level of physical functioning, which involves resisting movements like arm lifting to assess motor deficits.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine a client's level of physical functioning, a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) should use the assessment technique of muscle strength testing. During muscle strength testing, the CTRS would ask the patient to contract muscles against resistance, such as lifting an arm while the examiner provides resistance by pushing down on it. This assessment helps identify potential deficits in the motor system and can indicate the presence of certain conditions like UMN lesions, as evidenced by observations like a pronator drift during the test. Such testing is vital for understanding and improving physical functioning and reducing functional impairments.
Muscle strength testing is performed by observing if there are lateral differences in strength, which can reveal problems in one corticospinal tract over the other. Additionally, the CTRS may assess the use and proper handling of assistive devices, such as crutches, based on muscle strength and functionality.