The Physio Rehab Journey: The Tests You Must Pass In Order To Achieve Your Goal
/The journey of coming to a Physio, understanding why you were injured, committing to a plan and finding a goal big enough to do the rehab is a tough journey.
You will be tested along the way and if you pass those tests you come out better and stronger than ever (ideally).
Having done some work recently with a mindset coach called Ben Elliot in South Australia I couldn’t help but think of the injury journey and the similarities. I’ve taken his teachings and applied them to the injury journey. To hopefully set you up for success. It’s also important to know you’re not alone and that you’re human. However the hard work to achieve your goal will be worth it so read on.
The Inspiration Phase
This is generally the first two weeks of seeing your Physio. You’ve committed to a rehab plan, you have a goal that excites you and you are very motivated by pain and a fear of not being able to do what you want ever again.
Generally in this phase you are super disciplined. Your Physio has given you some exercises and you’ve done them every day. You may notice a couple of quick wins in terms of feeling a little better and less pain (It may be too soon and that’s ok as well!)
In this phase you will be the most motivated in the whole rehab process. You’re happy to do the homework.
It is really important during this phase that you create systems that work for you.
For example is there a time when no one can bother you and you can do the exercises?
Is there any area in the house that has enough room for you to move?
Do you need to set google calendar reminders with the instructions or reminders to get up and do the exercises at set times every day?
Would it be better to just go to the classes because you literally don’t have time. If so get an assessment quick so you can integrate the classes into your schedule while your motivation is high.
An example of a solid system would be
I am going to wake up 15 mins early. Head to the garage. Put down my yoga mat. Put in my headphones and watch the videos the Physio gave me.
I will set a google calendar reminder to beep at 7pm and i’ll head back into the garage for 10 minutes and repeat the exercises.
Or I will continue to go to the gym every day despite being injured and i’ll start by doing the exercises then jump on the bike for 30 minutes.
Finally I have booked in for a BIMFIT Pilates assessment tomorrow. I’ve booked into two bimfit pilates classes for the next 4 weeks and will do the exercises at home 2 days per week.
Make these systems sustainable, work with your Physio to make sure they work for your schedule. Work hard at making them work. This will set you up for success.
Perseverance Phase
The next phase is tougher and in order to get success you will go through some tests that you need to pass to get to your goal. If you pass the tests you generally win and are back doing what you love.
Unfortunately the initial motivation is going to drop at some point. So you need to be ready for the next tougher perseverance phase.
The wins are not as obvious, the exercises that were new and novel are getting a little boring. Things aren’t progressing as quickly as the first phase.
What’s the biggest thing people generally do at this stage?
They look for the next shiny object.
This could be in the form of a new therapy, a new device off amazon, some you tube exercises from an instagram influencer you saw. You jump onto their exercise regime instead.
Aside from shiny object syndrome you will probably encounter the time test.
You thought you would be miraculously cured in 2 weeks and it’s taking a little longer than you thought. It’s a tough time but at this point in time i’d recommend you do the following
Keep taking massive action towards your goal. Work hard at the exercises. Don’t give up. You have to keep pushing and remembering you’re why goal. Why are you doing these exercises? What are you trying to avoid again? What will you be doing soon you want to be doing?
Show the exercises to your Physio. Do they need refining? Is your technique ok? Are you doing the sets and reps required eg are you just doing 10 reps instead of 4 sets of 10 as prescribed?
Sometimes you’re just not working hard enough to see the results.
The second test you may encounter is the circumstances test.
This one is a tough one. You were on a roll. 5 days per week doing the exercises in the spare room. No one was bothering you then …..
The kids bring home covid, work sends you interstate urgently, sxxx hits the fan, the cat dies.
Everything went from smooth and crushing it to chaos.
It’s at this point you enter the flight fright or fight stress response. Your brain is all over the shop and you start panicking. Your pain should go backwards during this time as you stopped your routine and the stress response ramps up your pain levels.
You can play the victim role in this phase and blame external influences but it won’t help you reach your why goal. Why are you doing these exercises? Was it to be more active, to run when you thought you couldn’t, to feel young again when you spring out of bed.
The solution to this test is to control what you can control. Get back to your routines. Set that alarm again and do the exercise routine. Get an early win each day to take your mind off the stress. Meditate before you do your exercises. Keep your appointment. Don’t cancel it. Make sure you record the exercises on your phone so you don’t forget them when you leave the clinic.
The next test is when you get into a rut.
We all get into a rut where we just can’t be assed. You get the sxxx and just need a “break”.
Sometimes it helps to talk to your Physio about how you’re feeling. Your Physio can break it down into smaller manageable tasks. Maybe just focus on one week to the next week to the next week eg this week we are going to squat properly. Then next week we go to the single version. The following week we add weight and endurance. Then we are running! Your goal maybe literally two weeks away.
I also find visualising yourself doing that goal in great detail helps. For me it works to do this first thing as i’m waking up and as I turn the lights off at night. I visualise myself doing the task well. The more detail the better. It is a key tool in most sports psychologist tool boxes.
Other ideas are to post in our facebook group about your struggles. What happened. Sometimes some support from someone who has been through that journey is the best way forward.
What happens if you pass all the tests?
You’re hitting the snow ball phase. You are crushing it. You’re moving better, you’re stronger, you’re back doing what you want and feeling good.
The snowball phase is boring so the tendency is to look for the next shiny object but you are now getting good results so stick with what is working.
So to summarize you have probably been here before in life. I did it after my shoulder surgery. I did the first 5 weeks of rehab and then filled my diary with lots of patients and prioritised everything but my rehab.
My shoulder got to the point whereby lifting it hurt every time. It took me 5 months to do something about it. I couldn’t be bothered doing the exercises so booked myself in to the bimfit classes twice weekly for 8 weeks. They then became addictive because i always felt better afterwards. So if you’re going through the journey at the moment ….. maybe read this when you’re feeling down. Join our facebook group for motivation. We are all humans but we as Physio’s get the ultimate buzz when you pass these tests, graduate from Physio and get back to doing what you didn’t think you could do again.