NANDA-I 2024-2026 edition · Reviewed November 2, 2026 by the editorial team
Diagnosis at a glance
| Code | 00085 |
|---|---|
| Label | Impaired physical mobility |
| Spanish label | Deterioro de la movilidad física |
| Domain | 4. Activity / rest |
| Class | 2. Activity / exercise |
| Type | Problem-focused |
| Status | Current |
What it means
The person cannot move their body or a limb with the freedom, strength or coordination they need, so they rely on another person or a device to change position, transfer or walk. It is not about a medical order restricting movement, but about what the person can actually do.
Explanation written by our team. The official definition is in the NANDA-I 2024-2026 book.
When to use it
Clinical situations where it commonly shows up. The diagnosis is confirmed by your assessment, not by the medical diagnosis.
- Fractures, hip or knee replacement and orthopedic surgery.
- Stroke with hemiparesis.
- Pain that limits movement: postoperative pain, osteoarthritis, low back pain.
- Prolonged bed rest with loss of strength and stiffness.
- Neuromuscular diseases or Parkinson's disease.
- Older adults who walk in on their own and need help just a few days into the hospital stay.
What to assess
- Which movements the patient can do alone and which need help: turning, sitting up, transferring to the chair, walking.
- Muscle strength by segment (0 to 5 scale) and joint range of motion.
- Balance and gait: speed, short steps, need for support.
- Pain with movement using a numeric or visual analog scale, and time of the last analgesic dose.
- Provider orders: weight-bearing restrictions, bed rest, splints or traction.
- Activity tolerance: heart rate, SpO2 and dyspnea before and after moving.
- Level of dependence in basic activities of daily living, for example with the Barthel Index.
- Related risks: skin over pressure points (Braden), falls (Morse), thrombosis and constipation.
Defining characteristics
Assessment findings that support the diagnosis. They go in the "as evidenced by" part of the statement.
- Needs another person's help to turn in bed, sit up or stand.
- Walks more slowly than usual, with short steps or shuffling feet.
- Loses balance when standing or turning.
- Reduced range of motion in one or more joints.
- Muscle strength of 3/5 or less in the affected segment.
- Takes a long time to start or finish a movement.
- Tremulous, rigid or uncoordinated movements.
- Complains of pain or becomes agitated when trying to move.
- Avoids moving or asks to stay in the same position.
- Becomes tired or short of breath after walking short distances.
Related factors
The causes nursing can act on. They go in the "related to" part of the statement.
- Pain that starts or worsens with movement.
- Decreased muscle strength or mass from prolonged bed rest.
- Joint stiffness or contractures.
- Fear of falling or of damaging the incision.
- Insufficient knowledge about how to move safely or use the assistive device.
- Low activity tolerance and fatigue.
- Previously sedentary lifestyle.
- Low mood or lack of motivation to get moving.
At-risk populations
- Older adults, especially frail or hospitalized ones.
- People on bed rest for more than 48-72 hours.
- Patients recovering from orthopedic or major abdominal surgery.
- People with severe obesity.
- ICU patients.
Associated conditions
- Hip fracture, hip or knee replacement and other orthopedic surgery.
- Stroke with hemiparesis or hemiplegia.
- Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and other neuromuscular diseases.
- Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and low back pain.
- Spinal cord injury.
- Sedatives, muscle relaxants, or casts, splints and traction.
How to write it (PES)
Impaired physical mobility related to pain and decreased muscle strength in the right lower extremity as evidenced by needing one-person assist to transfer from bed to chair, slow gait with a walker, and difficulty turning in bed.
Impaired physical mobility (00085).
What limits movement and what nursing can work on: pain, loss of strength, stiffness, fear of moving, lack of knowledge about how to move.
Which movement is limited and by how much: how much help the patient needs, how far they walk, what they cannot do.
Example written by our team for a fictional patient. Adapt it to your own patient's data. Build your statement with the PES generator.
Goals / expected outcomes
Written in measurable terms: what, how much and by when.
- Transfers from bed to chair with minimal assist of one person within 48 hours.
- Walks 20 meters with a walker twice a day by day 3.
- Performs active exercises with the unaffected limbs three times a day.
- Reports pain ≤3/10 during scheduled mobilization starting on day 2.
- Skin over pressure points remains intact throughout the hospital stay.
Nursing interventions and rationales
| Intervention | Rationale |
|---|---|
| Assess mobility every shift using the same criteria. | Shows progress and lets you adjust how much assistance the patient needs. |
| Give prescribed analgesia 30-60 minutes before scheduled mobilization. | Pain is the most common reason patients don't want to move. |
| Reposition at least every 2 hours if the patient cannot move independently. | Prevents pressure injuries and improves ventilation. |
| Passive or active range-of-motion exercises as tolerated and as ordered. | Preserves strength and range of motion. |
| Have the patient dangle at the edge of the bed for a few minutes before standing. | Prevents dizziness from orthostatic hypotension. |
| Teach correct use of the walker or cane. | A device used incorrectly increases fall risk. |
| Let the patient do everything they can on their own, even if it takes longer. | Doing it for them speeds up loss of strength and dependence. |
| Coordinate with physical therapy and follow the ordered weight-bearing restrictions. | Avoids damaging the surgical repair. |
| Offer fluids and fiber, and monitor bowel movements. | Immobility slows bowel transit and promotes constipation. |
NOC outcomes and NIC interventions
Outcomes (NOC) and interventions (NIC) that published sources link to this diagnosis. Pick the ones that fit your patient.
NOC outcomes
- 0208Mobility
- 2101Pain: Disruptive Effects
- 1811Knowledge: Prescribed Activity
NIC interventions
- 0221Exercise Therapy: Ambulation
- 1801Self-Care Assistance: Bathing/Hygiene
- 1802Self-Care Assistance: Dressing/Grooming
- 5612Teaching: Prescribed Exercise
Linkages drawn from care plans published by health services, universities and nursing journals. Labels may vary depending on the NIC and NOC edition your facility uses.
Case study: After a hip replacement
Patient. Rosa, 72, is 36 hours post right total hip replacement after a fall at home. Before the fall she walked around her neighborhood on her own. She has not been out of bed since surgery.
Assessment
- Pain 6/10 on the numeric scale when trying to move; 3/10 at rest.
- Strength 3/5 in right hip flexion and 5/5 in all other extremities.
- Needs two-person assist to sit at the edge of the bed.
- States: “I'm afraid the new hip will pop out if I move.”
- HR 88 bpm, BP 128/76 mmHg and SpO2 96% at rest.
- Braden 15 and Morse 45.
- Ordered partial weight-bearing with a walker.
Nursing diagnosis
Impaired physical mobility related to pain with movement, decreased strength in the right lower extremity and fear of moving as evidenced by needing two-person assist to sit up, 3/5 strength in right hip flexion, and remaining in bed since surgery.
Goal
By 72 hours after surgery, Rosa transfers from bed to recliner with one-person assist and walks 10 meters with a walker while maintaining partial weight-bearing.
Interventions
- Prescribed analgesia 45 minutes before each mobilization, with pain reassessment.
- Explain which movements protect the hip replacement and which to avoid.
- Quadriceps sets and ankle pumps every 2 hours while awake.
- Sit her up in two stages with assistance, monitoring for dizziness and BP.
- First ambulation with physical therapy and a walker, closed shoes and the bed in low position.
Evaluation
At 72 hours she sits up and transfers to the recliner with one-person assist and walks 8 meters with a walker, with pain at 3/10. The goal is partially met: the diagnosis remains active and the goal is extended to 20 meters by day 5.
How it differs from similar diagnoses
- Risk for impaired physical mobility (00324): Risk for impaired physical mobility: mobility is still preserved, but there are factors that could limit it.
- Impaired bed mobility (00091): Impaired bed mobility: use it when the problem is limited to moving in bed, such as turning or scooting up toward the head of the bed.
- Impaired transferring ability (00367): Impaired transferring ability: the problem is moving from one surface to another, such as from bed to chair.
- Risk for adult falls (00303): Risk for adult falls: often goes along with it once the person starts walking.
Common mistakes
- Writing “related to hip fracture”: the fracture is the condition; the factor is pain, loss of strength or the weight-bearing restriction.
- Vague evidence such as “unable to move”: specify which movement and how much help.
- Using this general diagnosis when the problem is only transferring or bed mobility.
- Forgetting the diagnoses that usually go with it, such as risk for falls or pressure injury.
Assessment scales
Used in these conditions
Other diagnoses in the Activity / exercise class
Domain 4, Activity / rest. See every diagnosis in this domain.
Frequently asked questions
What is the NANDA code for impaired physical mobility?
00085, in Domain 4 (Activity/rest), Class 2 (Activity/exercise). It is still current in the 2024-2026 edition.
Did it change in the 2024-2026 edition?
The label and code stayed the same. A risk diagnosis (00324) was added to the same class.
Can I use it for a patient on strict bed rest?
Yes, if limited movement is present. The plan is adapted to what the patient can move.
What scale do I use to grade muscle strength?
The 0 to 5 scale: 0 is no contraction, 3 moves against gravity but not resistance, 5 is normal strength. Document the segment you tested.
When do I resolve it?
When the person regains their previous mobility or reaches the agreed goal, for example walking independently with a walker, and no longer needs another person's help.
Study material: the explanation, characteristics, factors, examples and case study on this page were written by our editorial team. The official text for Impaired physical mobility (00085) is in NANDA International Nursing Diagnoses: Definitions and Classification 2024-2026. This page does not replace clinical judgment or your facility's protocols.
Classification sources: NANDA-I 2024-2026, Thieme supplement · Elsevier summary of changes · Spanish edition table of contents · NOC/NIC: source 1, source 2. Reviewed November 2, 2026.