Physical evaluation has two separate purposes. The first is to localize the complaint, that is, to associate the complaint with a specific region and, if possible, with a specific anatomical structure. The second purpose of the physical evaluation is to evaluate the patient's complaints. Characterizing a complaint involves describing its character (e.g., dull, sharp, etc.), quantifying its severity, and describing the relationship between movement and function.
Some of the areas that are physically evaluated are:

* Posture analysis
* Gait analysis
* Special tests
* Joint and intra-articular arthrokinematic tests