At the Foothills, physical therapy begins well before the first therapeutic exercise or pain treatment. Foothills’ physical therapy specialists achieve superior results through individualized care and hands-on treatment. We believe the road to recovery begins by encouraging our patients healthy and productive psychological states. Our staff is familiar with the idea of placing “mind over matter.” This concept is often exemplified in spectacular feats of physical skill requiring mental fortitude. Images of fire-walkers, yogis, Olympic weightlifters, brick breakers, and physical therapy patients may come to mind. Our physical rehabilitation practice operates where psychology intersects with physiology. In our practice, aligning mental attitudes with physical training objectives is critical to helping our patients realize their individual wellness goals. The difference in outcomes for those with a more positive outlook stems from several factors:
Motivated Patients Do Their Homework
While there are many exercises and procedures that can only be directed under the supervision of a physical therapist, treatment plans typically include at least one element of self-supervised therapeutic activities. For example, your rehab practitioner may expect you to complete home exercises. Motivated patients put their willpower to work by taking responsibility for conducting their stretches and exercises while making strides down the road to recovery.
Positive Attitudes Reduce Debilitating Effects of Pain
A 2010 clinical study at Warwick University1 revealed that back-pain patients who were given counseling to improve their mood and promote optimistic thinking showed more improvement than those who received standard treatment alone, such as acupuncture or osteopathy. We see anecdotal confirmation of this study’s findings daily with many of our patients. While all patients will see improvement from treatment at Foothills, positive attitudes are a significant factor in treatment outcomes. Consequently, it’s easy to conclude that a happy patient is a healing patient.
Healing Requires Patience and Perseverance
Physical therapy is generally hard work, and successfully advancing through any rehabilitation is bound to be a rewarding challenge for patients suffering from acute and chronic injuries. The empowering relationship patients form with their therapist helps them transcend the pains of biomechanical changes in their bodies. These changes, however, rarely come overnight, so we must encourage our patients to be persistent as they advance along their road to recovery. Our locally owned Foothills locations are guaranteed to guide you toward positive results and a more healthy lifestyle.
