Honesty is always the best policy. We all lead hectic lives and the way we suffer physical ailments is as unique as the lives we lead. Please don’t be shy in telling us how you managed to strain a muscle or suffer an injury. In the same way, we might prescribe stretches or exercises as part of your physiotherapy care, and if you’re not going to do them, then please just say. It will help both of us with your programme of care. A couple of examples follow.
Lack of communication
One contact shared their experience of physiotherapy elsewhere, which highlighted the lack of communication between client and practitioner.
I thought that I paid a fair amount of money for my sessions for me to do the work with regards to exercises afterwards. It felt like I was paying for guidance, rather than the care I sought at the outset. I am not good at being told what to do, so the exercises were limited, and the process and experience was not positive. I wish I had been honest, indeed clear, at the outset.
Regular exercise routine and work
Another client just said no to exercises, fairly (well reasonably fairly) noting that they could not weave a regular exercise routine into their busy work life.
Sharing expectations of the care journey
Talking to your physiotherapist about what you want to achieve: sharing expectations of the care journey is paramount at the outset. Managing expectations as to what can be achieved, or perhaps cannot be achieved, for the individual’s recovery process is important. Helping you is what we do!
Allow your physiotherapist to create a plan
As we have advocated before, one physiotherapy appointment is unlikely to be sufficient to repair an ailment; however, initial care may well ease the problem. Exercises may be recommended - however as indicated above, if they’re not going to happen, then let it be known to allow your physiotherapist to create a plan that will work for you and with you.
Contact Life Made Simple Physiotherapy
Thinking about your physiotherapy care is important and chatting through what you anticipate and expect is part of that process. Please do contact Life Made Simple Physiotherapy by email at Physio@lifemadesimple.co.uk , or by telephone on 07309 272 555 for your individual physiotherapy needs and care.