In a previous blog I discussed my struggles with lower back pain and how I was dealing with a recent flare up and setback. You can read about that here.
If you recall I progressed through the first two phases of The MAGICAL 5 Phases of Healing Process we use to help you recover from an injury or surgery quicker so you can return to doing the things you love.
In this post I will cover Phase III to help you understand the middle part of your journey.
What are The MAGICAL 5 Phases of Healing?
- Minimize Pain and Inflammation
- Restore Mobility, Flexibility and Strength
- Return to Normal Function and Activity
- Maintenance and Injury Prevention
- Performance Enhancement
Over my 23+ years of experience I have also identified 5 distinct phases our clients go through to help them recover and return to the life they want to live. It doesn’t matter if you are looking to avoid surgery or come to us after surgery. Young and old we all go through these phases.
In Phase III we want to help you return to your normal daily activities. This could be performing light activities around the house, such as reaching into a cabinet to grab a cup, sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, mowing the yard, showering or getting dressed. Basically anything you need to do on a regular basis.
For me this came down to being able to sit and stand without discomfort with the ultimate goal of getting back on the bike.
Now the bicycle I ride is not your typical upright BMX style bike. It is a road bike that has you bent forward at the waist which can put tremendous pressure on your lower back.
Although cycling is a blast it is horrible for your “body mechanics”.
Now at this point in the recovery process you are starting to feel better and maybe a little anxious to start doing more around the house or work. If you don’t have a very physically demanding job it might mean returning to work or being able to drive.
The aim is to start doing more during the day and then discussing these issues with your therapist so they can continue to modify the plan to help you achieve your goals. Your physical therapist acts as your coach to push you to get better and holds you accountable. Without the accountability it becomes very easy to not push yourself and ultimately not get the results you want.
It would be like trying to get your blood sugar under control and not checking it regularly or talking with your doctor or nutritionist about changes you should make to improve it. We all need some level of accountability.
At this point you are feeling pretty good. Your pain level is zero to minimal, mobility and strength have improved and you are making great progress in your daily tasks. Unfortunately this is also where most people quit, BUT not you!
Most assume (you know what happens when you assume?) that the progress will continue and they won’t have to deal with this issue anymore.
Truth be told, at this stage most will stop doing the things that got them here (ie. stop their exercises and therapy) and they begin to regress. The regression is small but noticeable. If they would only continue and push a little farther they will get so much better vs sliding back into daily pain, stiffness, weakness and frustration.
You have worked so hard to get to this point, don’t quit.
Frequently we will have patients who have stopped therapy prematurely and go off course. They return so we can help them get back on track. I like to call them “tune up” sessions and it usually doesn’t take much to get them progressing again. Unfortunately some decide their health is not worth the time or money and decide to live with it. Either way it is your choice, but we have another option.
“A healthy person has a thousand wishes, a sick person only one” -Agnes Krankenpfleger
In the next blog post I will be wrapping up the 5 Phases of Healing and you can learn what other options are available for you to achieve high performance health.
If you would like some help determining which phase you are in and how we can help, then give us a call for a FREE Physical Therapy Check UP, we call this a Discovery Visit.
One of our Doctors of Physical Therapy will discuss your concerns, check your mobility and strength as well as help you design a successful recovery plan based on your phase of healing.
Call 817-220- MOSS (6677) NOW To Schedule Your FREE Check UP
At MOSS Rehabilitation Center we make it easy for you to get started. We even have a simple 3 step process.
1. Schedule a FREE NO Obligation, Discovery Visit with one of our experts. During this visit, you will talk with one of our friendly experts about your issues. This is a safe and confidential visit, you can trust that your safety and privacy is important to us. We are taking extra measures to ensure that you remain safe during this pandemic.
2. Receive a Customized (Individualized) Treatment Plan. Based on your free discovery visit, we will put together a custom, unique to you plan that will address all of your nagging pains and issues. The goal is to get you back to your healthy self as soon as possible while also addressing your issues for the long term.
3. Get Your Life Back and Do What You Love. The best result for us is a patient who tells us they can finally do what they love without the constant pain, stress, or issue they were facing. Together we can get you back to living life without worry.
Not only will we create a physical therapy program designed around you and your needs, but we also ensure to provide you with quality education for your long-term health.
The first step is always the hardest and I can’t take it for you but I promise we will do everything we can to help you.
As always if you have any questions or suggestions please drop me a line at robert@springtownphysicaltherapy.com, give us a call 817-220-MOSS (6677) or interact with us on social media.
To your health,
Dr. Robert Moss PT, ScD, OCS, FAAOMPT
PS. Remember the 3 D’s of handling any problem-Don’t Ignore it, Don’t Mask It, Do Something About It.
