Dealing with the pain and limited mobility associated with an injury or illness can be stressful for so many reasons. You might wonder how long you would be sidelined for and how long it would be until you get better. You may worry about functional demands of life such as walking, getting groceries, household chores or your ability to function at work. You may be an athlete and be worried about how long you would have to sit out for until you can play your sport again. Luckily, your Stride Strong physical therapist is able to answer all of these and more – you just have to ask!
What you can do to enhance your physical therapy appointment is to give your PT as much clarity into your pain and condition as much as possible. Below are a list of things you will want to talk about with your PT at your visits. It is a good idea to write these down, then come armed with it at your first appointment with us – so nothing is forgotten!
Pain History:
- Take note of how your pain has affected you
- What does it feel like
- When does it feel worse and when does the pain feel better
- How do you manage it? With drugs, activity avoidance, use of braces or crutches?
- Any weird sensations that come with the pain that you feel worried about? Numbness, tingling, shooting pain?
(Sharing each of these details helps your physical therapist understand your limitations beyond the injury printed on your intake form.)
Activity history:
- What kind of activities do you participate in on a regular basis? This could be vocational and recreational.
- Does your pain impede your ability to do these activities?
- In what way and in which movements? Give as much detail as possible – all clues allow our PTs to properly hone in on the area and anatomy that is affected.
- Have you been to physical therapy before? Any other adjunct therapies like massage, accupuncture, chiropractor, injections, surgery? What worked? What didn’t?
Goal setting:
- What activities and movements do you want to get back to after you’re done with physical therapy?
- This part will prompt a discussion with your PT about how long to expect to attain your goals and what your prognosis is. It’s also a way to pave out expectations from both you and your PT.
Our goal as your physical therapist is to be on the same wavelength together so you can recover from your injuries and attain your movement goals. If at anytime you feel you are out of sync, take time to pull your physical therapist and discuss plans and strategy for your care. We are here for you!
