General Advice
Common sayings
As a musculoskeletal physiotherapist, I do use mainly hands on manipulative techniques on patients. I, however, do spend a lot of time on verbal 'manipulations' to ensure patients have better understanding of their conditions and more ways to self-help. Common sayings or heuristics could be useful to guide patients to perform their exercises. "Move it or lose it" ,"use it or lose it" are certainly basic and important. "Motion is lotion" is about oiling joints (stimulation of synovial fluid, fluid in joints, secretion), making blood flow better to heal and pumping swelling/rubbish out. Patients are reminded to "pace it, don't race it" . Treatment soreness is unavoidable initial. "No pain no gain" is therefore very true as long as pain is not excessive and not lasting. "Let pain be your guide" and "you are safe" . This is particularly true for patients with chronic (long-standing) musculoskeletal conditions that are often not curable. Heuristics help patients to achieve deep learning �� a deep understanding of their problems, so as to be able to decide certain pain is good and necessary. Once patients understand the pathology of their conditions, the scar tissue/adhesion formation, soft tissue thickening, muscle tightness and weakness and postural malalignment, they may understand that "their hurts won't harm them" . Pain is not always an indication of tissue damage.
"I'm sore but I am safe" .
A chronic pain patient may actually analyze an evoked pain state and understand that although it hurts there is no tissue damage.
"If you keep backing away you'll hit the wall and pain will keep coming to get you" can be useful for a patient who is so fear avoidant that every pain or thought of activity is harmful and has to be avoided.
"A little bit of pain is good for you" .
"Yes, you've found that pain and let's beat it up and push it out of your body".
"Even top athletes have pain when they stretch and train".
"We must overload to build our body".
"The human body is also a piece of machine that needs daily maintenance".
"The older we are, the more maintenance we need".
"Your exercises may not make you better but may prevent further deterioration".
"Appreciate how much better your are and allow the residual pain to remind you not to do wrong".
"80% better is great, 90% better is a bonus, 100% better is impossible" !
Let's talk and explain to patients as much as possible.
Luck LI
Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist
"I'm sore but I am safe" .
A chronic pain patient may actually analyze an evoked pain state and understand that although it hurts there is no tissue damage.
"If you keep backing away you'll hit the wall and pain will keep coming to get you" can be useful for a patient who is so fear avoidant that every pain or thought of activity is harmful and has to be avoided.
"A little bit of pain is good for you" .
"Yes, you've found that pain and let's beat it up and push it out of your body".
"Even top athletes have pain when they stretch and train".
"We must overload to build our body".
"The human body is also a piece of machine that needs daily maintenance".
"The older we are, the more maintenance we need".
"Your exercises may not make you better but may prevent further deterioration".
"Appreciate how much better your are and allow the residual pain to remind you not to do wrong".
"80% better is great, 90% better is a bonus, 100% better is impossible" !
Let's talk and explain to patients as much as possible.
Luck LI
Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist