My wife, Kathy Northcutt, has been suffering some mobility issues and opted to try Physical Therapy. I like the exercises and have started to some myself, especially the balance one. If you see someone falling down, or running into a sliding glass door, it is probably me.
She graduated today and wrote the following note that I think benefits anyone taking Physical Therapy.
Greetings!
I just graduated from Physical Therapy (today!) with Angela Kroll. I’d like to share what I’ve learned, hoping it will be of benefit to you.
We come to heal. Consider this an investment in yourself, a gift to yourself. “Begin with the end in mind.” (Stephen Covey, Habit #2, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.) What are your goals for Physical Therapy?
Improved strength, flexibility, balance, or, I want to be able to do _____ are all fine answers. For extra credit, consider creating S.M.A.R.T. goals: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time based. For instance: I will stand on my right foot for a minute at a time without holding on for support by (fill in date) is a S.M.A.R.T. goal.
Physical Therapy Goals
(fill in your name on the top left)
Goal # 1: ________________________________________
Goal # 2: ________________________________________
Goal #3: ________________________________________
Take a moment to ponder what you dream of doing. Two I listed were to paddle, and roll my kayak again, to have the strength to train up another large dog.
Dreams
Now that you’ve set goals and given yourself permission to dream a bit, look over what you’ve come up with. It’s time to commit to: achieving your goals, pursuing your dreams, and to heal. Your therapist is here to show you the way.
See next page for a sample spreadsheet I used to track progress. It was very simple: the date column down the left side, names of the PT exercises listed across the top. I just filled in the exercises and whether it was 1, 2 (or more) sets.
Consider using the margins to record a specific reaction to an exercise on x date. It helps your therapist to receive specific, time based information. They may ask: what were you doing before x happened, for instance, and it’s great to have it all there on the chart. Looking back on it, I’ve kept a chart in two different physical therapies and it really spurred me on.
Listen to your body. As much as I like having my chart all filled in, there were times I had to stop and rest during a set, or stop trying that exercise altogether for the day. Let your therapist know when that happens.
“Do not despise the day of small beginnings”, ( excerpt from Zechariah 4:10, NIV). Be patient with yourself and take joy in your progress.
Lastly, get creative about fitting PT into your daily schedule. Any time you’re standing in line and there’s something to hold onto nearby, consider practicing standing on one foot, and then the other while waiting, or while chatting around the kitchen counter. Is there a PT exercise you can do before getting out of bed in the morning? If so, check! One or more done before your feet hit the floor. Watching the game? Do you have a favorite TV show, or watch movies at home? That’s a fabulous time for PT. Conference calls are, too. Another benefit of PT during conference calls is it’s unlikely you’ll fall asleep during the call……
Happy healing to you,
Kathy
What a wonderful and inspiring post. While I haven't 'graduated' to a spreadsheet, I DO write nearly every day in a journal. Regardless of the tool, I think it's important to understand how we get to where we are - an historical perspective can be invaluable.
ReplyDeleteI was also encouraged to receive permission to not do something that isn't helpful. My yoga teacher says 'no pain; no pain' :-).
Fred K