Final answer:
The most crucial assessment for a client recovering from a shoulder injury is a Range of motion assessment, which evaluates the joint's functionality and informs the development of a personalized physical therapy plan. This plan typically includes heat application, exercise, and icing, with the goal of restoring normal limb function and activity level.
Step-by-step explanation:
For a new client who recently recovered from a shoulder injury, the most important assessment would be a Range of motion assessment. This type of assessment is crucial to understand the normal movements that the shoulder joint performs and how well it can now function post-injury. The physical therapist (PT) will guide the client through various movements such as abduction, adduction, circumduction, flexion, and extension of the arm, noting the shoulder's degree of function. An appropriate physical therapy plan will then be created based on these observations.
The therapy plan typically starts with the application of a heat pack to encourage blood flow and healing, follows a tailored exercise regimen, and ends with icing to reduce inflammation. After the completion of the physical therapy, an exit assessment is performed to document the improvement in range of motion and the return of normal limb function, which is reported back to the doctor. Shoulder injury recovery is a gradual process, and the PT will work closely with the patient to regain their normal level of physical activity.