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Physiotherapy vocabulary · Assessment and Examination

Referred pain

Meaning in physiotherapy, with examples

nounCommon term

In physiotherapy, referred pain means: Pain felt in a different part of the body from where the problem actually is, for example hip problems felt in the knee.

In Turkish: yansıyan ağrı

How it is used

Physiotherapists think of referred pain when the painful area does not behave like the true source. Well-known examples are neck problems felt around the shoulder blade and heart pain felt in the left arm. It is different from radicular pain, which comes from an irritated nerve root.

Example sentences

  1. His knee pain might be referred pain from the hip, so I'll check his hip too.

  2. Referred pain from the neck often appears around the shoulder blade.

Common collocations

  • referred pain from the hip
  • pattern of referred pain
  • somatic referred pain
  • refer pain into the leg
  • sciaticaPain that travels from the lower back or buttock down the back of the leg along the path of the sciatic nerve, sometimes with numbness or tingling.
  • subjective assessmentThe first part of a physiotherapy assessment, in which the patient describes their problem, symptoms, history and goals in their own words.
  • trigger pointA small, very tender spot in a tight band of muscle that can cause pain both where it is pressed and in another area.
  • red flagsSigns or symptoms that suggest a possibly serious medical problem, such as cancer, infection, fracture or nerve compression, which needs urgent medical review.

More terms: Assessment and Examination

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.