What does TOTAPS stand for?

• A. Talk, Observe, Touch, Active movement, Passive movement, Skills evaluation
• B. Talk, Observe, Treat, Active movement, Passive movement, Skills test
• C. Talk, Observe, Touch, Active movement, Passive movement, Skills test
• D. Talk, Observe, Touch, Passive movement, Active movement, Skills test

Answer: (C)

TOTAPS is a structured on-field injury assessment method used to gather information and test function in a safe, systematic way. The six parts flow in a practical order: start by talking with the athlete to understand what happened and where it hurts; then observe for signs such as swelling, deformity, or unusual movement; next, use touch to palpate and locate tenderness or abnormalities. After that, have the athlete perform movements they can do themselves to assess pain and function (active movement). Then move the limb yourself to test the joint’s range of motion without the athlete using their muscles (passive movement). Finally, test sport-specific skills to see if the athlete can safely resume activity or if further medical evaluation is needed.

The correct option matches this exact sequence and terminology. Other choices introduce words like Treat instead of Touch, or use Skills evaluation instead of Skills test, or swap the order of active and passive movement, which do not align with the standard TOTAPS framework.