What should physical therapy look like?
—
Most people are unable to provide a succinct definition of physical therapy. Physical therapists are no exception. Merriam-Webster defines physical therapy as this:
therapy for the preservation, enhancement, or restoration of movement and physical function impaired or threatened by disease, injury, or disability that utilizes therapeutic exercise, physical modalities (such as massage and electrotherapy), assistive devices, and patient education and training.
No wonder everyone is confused. This definition gives the impression that physical therapists are able to apply any intervention they choose to achieve unlimited results.
Our (HQPT’s) view of a physical therapist as more of a consultant than a healer. Consultants are hired by individuals or corporations to take an objective look at the facts, synthesize the data, and present solutions to challenges they were directly brought in to make a positive impact on. In short, they’re there to help solve problems effectively and not create them.
Let’s translate this to patient care. When a patient comes to us, our responsibility is to assess the person as an individual and not as a laundry list of complaints or diagnoses. From there it is imperative that we utilize the best quality data to assess what truly matters and what is less of a concern. What do we mean by best quality data? That means we take what is most strongly supported by science to guide our decision making. Let’s take the classic example of a patient with back pain that has been intermittent for 10 years and reports that he or she has remained active to some degree but not to the level that they would prefer. It is our responsibility to recognize that a graded approach of increased activity coupled with some deep discussions about general ideas of what back pain is and what it is not are more strongly supported by scientific literature than taking a deep dive into a structural analysis of the pelvic girdle and blaming pain on some sort of anatomical anomaly that can’t be seen with the naked eye.
Ultimately, if you are searching for help to address a physical issue it might be helpful to ask yourself a few questions after meeting the person you’ve entrusted with that care.
Has a plan or some guidance been provided?
Does this plan make me feel empowered and capable? Or does it make me feel discouraged and dependent on the provider?
If you are seeking help or have any questions regarding physical therapy please use our connect page to send us a question or schedule a phone call with one of our therapists.