fitness improvement as well as weight loss. Such a
consultation is especially helpful for people who
have been physically inactive for a long period of
time or who have challenges such as FLAT FEETor
WEAK ANKLES. Moving too quickly into an intense
exercise program can worsen the underlying
health condition or cause other injuries. The doc-
tor may also recommend nutritional counseling
for further weight loss.
See also AEROBIC FITNESS; AEROBIC EXERCISE; DIS-
ABILITY AND EXERCISE; EXERCISE AND HEALTH; LIVING
WITH PAIN; OBESITY AND HEALTH; PHYSICAL ACTIVITY REC-
OMMENDATIONS; WALKING FOR FITNESS; WEEKEND WAR-
RIOR; WEIGHT AND WEIGHT MANAGEMENT.
Wong-Baker FACES pain rating scale A propri-
etary, commonly used visual tool designed for use
with children to help them quantify the intensity
of PAIN they are experiencing. Developed by
Donna Wong, Ph.D., R.N. and Connie Baker,
Ph.D., R.N., the FACES scale presents a sequence
of six faces with expressions ranging from happy
(no pain) to neutral (some pain) to sad (much
pain). Children choose the face that best expresses
how their pain feels to them.
Many hospitals and pediatricians use the
FACES scale, available on a pocket-size card,
because it is straightforward and even very young
children are usually able to associate how they
feel with one of the faces. The most effective
approach is for the health care provider to explain
to the child what the faces indicate in terms of
pain severity (for example, smiling face being no
pain and very sad face with tears being the worst
pain) and then ask the child to choose the face
that best expresses how he or she feels.
The FACES scale has associated numeric values
(0 to 5) to aid the health care provider in inter-
preting the child’s pain level. The scale also help
clinicians to assess pain as a symptom during the
diagnostic process as well as to evaluate the effec-
tiveness of pain relief methods and medications
for treatment of post-operative, traumatic, and
chronic pain.
See also AGING, CHANGES IN PAIN PERCEPTION THAT
OCCUR WITH; ANALGESIC MEDICATIONS.390 Pain and Pain Management