The abbreviation WNL stands for “Within Normal Limits.” It is common shorthand used across healthcare documentation, including in physical therapy (PT) patient charts, evaluations, and progress notes. Physical therapists use WNL to quickly document that a specific measurement or finding falls inside an expected, healthy range for the general population. Its presence in a medical record is generally a positive finding.
Decoding WNL
The phrase “Normal Limits” refers to a standardized range of expected results derived from large sets of data, known as normative data. This information is collected from a healthy population and categorized by factors such as age, gender, and activity levels. When a physical therapist records a finding as WNL, it means the tested area is performing at a level statistically typical for a person without the patient’s current injury or complaint. The designation confirms that the particular body part or system is not contributing to the patient’s present dysfunction. For example, if a patient has knee pain, and their hip strength is documented as WNL, the therapist can focus treatment elsewhere.
Where WNL Appears in PT Documentation
Physical therapists apply the WNL designation across several categories of physical assessment during an evaluation.
Range of Motion (ROM)
WNL indicates that a joint moves through its full, expected arc without restriction, comparing favorably to established anatomical standards. For instance, a physical therapist may use a goniometer to measure the degrees of movement, and if the result aligns with published norms for that joint, it is marked as WNL.
Muscle Strength
Muscle strength is frequently assessed and documented using this abbreviation. The therapist uses Manual Muscle Testing (MMT) to grade strength, and a score of 5/5, meaning the muscle can complete the full range of motion against gravity and strong resistance, is often recorded as WNL.
Neurological and Cardiopulmonary Status
WNL also appears when documenting the status of the neurological and cardiopulmonary systems. Neurological assessments of reflexes and sensation are documented as WNL if they are intact and symmetrical, suggesting no underlying nerve involvement. Cardiopulmonary status, such as resting heart rate and breathing pattern during an activity, is considered WNL if it falls within healthy resting limits, ensuring the patient is medically cleared to proceed with exercise.
WNL vs. WFL
A distinction in physical therapy documentation is between WNL and the similar abbreviation, WFL, which stands for “Within Functional Limits.” While WNL compares a patient’s ability to a healthy population standard, WFL compares the patient’s ability to their own specific needs for daily life. WFL is often used for patients with chronic conditions, permanent disabilities, or age-related changes where achieving “normal” limits is not a realistic goal. For example, a patient with long-standing rheumatoid arthritis may have shoulder range of motion that is not WNL. However, if they can still reach overhead far enough to put on a shirt, their shoulder ROM would be recorded as WFL. Focusing on WFL allows the physical therapist to set patient-centered goals that prioritize independence in activities of daily living over achieving a statistically normal measurement.