Don't Give Up!

Don't Give Up!

Perhaps your doctor has referred you to physical therapy to help you regain strength, endurance, range of motion, and functional mobility. Or maybe you have contacted us directly to start physical therapy because of some pain or movement issues you are having. 

​You start with hope and excitement as you begin your treatments. You feel encouraged after hearing success stories of past physical therapy patients, and you feel good after talking to other patients at The Smith Clinic for Physical Therapy. Your physical therapist has laid our your recovery plan after a thorough evaluation, and it is comforting to know there is an end goal to your pain. 
But then you may realize that physical therapy is a lot of work, and sometimes exercises and treatments used in physical therapy can cause a little bit of pain. It can be easy to lose motivation, especially if your condition requires a longer course of rehabilitation. At first going to physical therapy was something you wanted to do, even enjoyable (we hope a lot of that has to do with our awesome staff!); but after a while it may be difficult to comply with your physical therapy regimen. Going to the clinic 2-3 times a week and completing your assigned at home exercises may get pushed to the end of your priority list. 

In our society we are accustomed to quick fixes for most problems. We don’t have to wait for many things that we want or need. Physical therapy does not fit into that “quick fix” category. By design the therapy process is aimed at making you stronger and more flexible by taking the proper amount of time needed to help you heal, without rushing and causing further damage. When you are completely committed to your treatment plan, you hit this thing out of the park.
Here are a few tips:

Find A Purpose:
​Maybe you want to play golf again, or pickup your grandchildren, or ride a horse. Associating your physical therapy with your purpose keeps you motivated. Our physical therapists will help you realize how certain exercises or treatments will benefit you, and eliminate certain negative things. Then we can show you how once you get better you will be able to do the things you love to do. Stick with that purpose and remind yourself why you are doing this in the first place. 
Tape it to your fridge, put a post-it-note in your car. Whatever you have to do to remind yourself not to give up and keep going forward to reach your goal - because going backwards should never be an option. 

Find the Right Place:
​We hope that you will find the right place in The Smith Clinic For Physical Therapy. Since you work with your physical therapist and physical therapist assistants and techs often 2-3 times a week, it is crucial for there to be a trusting and comfortable relationship. When you enjoy coming into a facility that is uplifting and encouraging and not intimidating, it makes you want to go even on days when you might be tempted to skip your treatment. We focus on making The Smith Clinic for Physical Therapy have a familiar and friendly environment. 

Be Honest: 
​If you are struggling to stay motivated, or perhaps you are having concerns about your treatments, please talk to your physical therapist. We want to know what you are thinking and how you are feeling about your progress, because we at times might need to make some changes. We have been doing this for a long time, so we know some important things to do to help you get motivated again. Don’t just stop coming or give in to discouragement! We can help you get back on track! And in the end when you are doing those things that you wanted to do when you first started therapy, it will all be worth it.