Well a couple of weeks in and perhaps I’m able to see some of the trees and not just a blurry forest! Terrible analogy…but all the same!
This week something that struck me in working with patients in musculo is how difficult it is to motivate your patients sometimes, and frustrating when they chose to ignore your advice. I’ve had 2 men in their 20s one with recurrent ankle sprains and another 8mnths post ACL recon…..both with whom I have found it difficult firstly to gauge exactly what they have been doing in terms of exercise etc, why then they are not progressing as they should and then what to do to try and get the best outcome. With both they say they’ve being doing more than it looks like they have given their presentation….so do I think they’re exaggerating or is there something else underlying which means they’re not improving. And one guy clearly was going to go back to sport even though he wasn't ready despite what I said. I’m sure this gets easier to work out the more experience one has, but just in general if anyone has any suggestions, psychological tactics to use to motivate people to take responsibility, stick to regimes, etc, that would be great!!!
Have a great week…halfway there!
2 comments:
Hey Claire,
I don't know if you have tried much in terms of education (such as grabbing those plastic models from up the front) because sometimes a bit clearer picture of what is going on anatomically might make things a little clearer in their minds? Or if they have any scan/Xray etc.. to try and go over it a bit with them. I can say from experience that the drive to get back to sport asap makes people a little irrational in terms of their long term health! (I may not be suffering some of my ailments now had I heeded advice). So maybe with some further education about what some of the negative consequences of not following protcols/compliance/etc.... can be could be helpful. If not, then have them pop over to my cubicle and have a visit with 2 of my patients who had been noncompliant early on and are now suffering adverse consequences of doing so!! Such as not ambulating very well and malunion!
I agree, the models are useful and helps them visualise. I think some good old realistic scenarios: do HEP now and likey have no problems again, no visits to physio etc; dont do HEP have recurrent injuries - pain, unable to do sport; don't do HEP and return to sport early and have to go through rehab again with possibly a worse prognosis regarding full recovery and pain free sport, plus the increased incidence of OA in repeatedly injured joints - I haven't referenced this bit but the chronic inflammation is not good for them either. Good luck with those boys and I always add that is of no benefit to the PT and you are actually trying to prevent problems for the them!
Post a Comment