Achieve High-Performance Health Part III
Over the last two blog posts I have discussed 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.
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.
To read about Phase I – Minimizing pain and inflammation and Phase II – Restoring Mobility, Flexibility and Strength CLICK HERE
To read about Phase III Returning to Normal Daily Activities CLICK HERE.
Remember you have other options after Phase III otherwise it wouldn’t be the MAGICAL 5 Phases of healing.
Today I will cover those options (the remaining Phases) to help complete your journey and really get the most out of life so you can not only survive but also thrive.
Phase IV –this phase is all about maintaining the progress and prevention of future problems. The goal of this phase is to increase your strength and endurance to prevent future issues and encourage you to exercise on a regular basis. You are still coming in for your sessions with your physical therapist but it is a lot less frequent.
This is about building healthy habits that will benefit you for years to come. Click HERE to read my secret for building healthy habits.
We know that after the age of 30 we start to lose muscle mass (about 1% per year) and our tissues get stiffer. This means that if we want to avoid injuries and maintain a healthy level of activity we need to do something about it.
This doesn’t mean you need to do some intense crossfit workout or gladiator boot camp but just some simple exercises 2-3 times a week to help maintain general flexibility and strength. This is what Phase IV is all about.
Now the last phase and arguably the most fun as a therapist to help implement. In Phase V you are pain free, back to normal tasks and working out on a regular basis but now you want to really up your game. We call this Performance Enhancement and designing these types of programs is really fun.
This doesn’t have to be something crazy like racing your bike from California to Colorado, something I did several years ago. It could be working to improve your walking endurance because you have a big vacation planned, think of taking the kids or grandkids to Disney.
It could be improving your overall fitness because you want to be around to play with your grandkids or healthy enough to travel when you retire and not have to rely on ibuprofen or pain killers to help you survive. We want you to thrive.
The possibilities are endless but first you must start with a good foundation upon which to build, which only happens when you progress through the first 4 phases.
Using my back pain as an example. I am in Phase IV and V currently. After my little setback it took me a couple of weeks to progress through the phases and now I am back to training. Part of my weekly exercise program is making sure I am diligent with my “core” exercises and general mobility/strengthening program.
Even though it was frustrating to have the setback I believe that I recovered faster because I was exercising and was in good shape to begin with. The lesson is that we will all have setbacks but it won’t be as devastating if we are participating in a regular exercise program.
In summary we all go through The MAGICAL 5 Phases of Healing Process at some point. Some will progress quickly, others slowly, but the point is that you take the time and try not to rush it. If you push too hard to get to the next phase then you can have a horrible setback which leads to greater frustration.
Remember the body actually gets stronger during the resting periods and not during the exercise phase. So take adequate time to rest and recover.
I hope this has been helpful to see the steps you must take to fully recover from your injury or surgery and how MOSS can help transform your life by helping you quickly get out of pain and back to normal after an injury or surgery naturally using The MAGICAL 5 Step Healing Process.
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. You Can Read More about the 3 D’s HERE