Life Lessons From Physical Therapy

If you’ve been reading my column, you know that back in April I had knee surgery. I’m progressing in my recovery, and after nearly two dozen physical therapy sessions, I’ve discovered some PT lessons that apply to life as well. 

The setting where I receive my therapy is a large room filled with various types of exercise machines and equipment, and there are usually several other patients there rehabbing at the same time. I’ve seen numerous people from teens to octogenarians who are coping with a variety of physical impairments from concussions to back pain to regaining movement in an arm after rotator cuff surgery.

One thing we all have in common is a lack of patience. Every new person comes in and says the same thing: How long before I’m back to normal? I want to get better as fast as I can. Patience is a virtue, and I’m hoping the training I’m receiving in it, will result in more of it in life.

It goes without saying that no one likes pain. Sometimes its distressing to watch other patients grimacing as they work to regain motion. But in life we all, at one time or another, must endure pain. Sometimes, you just have to gut things out.

Progress is not linear. Recovery, like life, does not progress in a straight line. Some days we move ahead two space, and some days we move backward, but being persistent and consistent is crucial.

Balance is key to much of life. In therapy, I have learned that you must push yourself, but not so much that you do harm. As my therapist advised, “Do the exercise, but stop right before it causes pain.” We all need to challenge ourselves in life, but we need to be kind to ourselves too.

When one thing goes out of whack, it can cause a cascade of consequences. When my knee was messed up, I subconsciously learned to compensate for it by altering my gait. We are slowly realigning my body and getting the kinks out. This happens in life as well. If you allow something to get out of control, it often leads to other problems. For example, if you spend too much, it can cause financial distress, induce anxiety and impact your future retirement.

Finally, progress sometimes is difficult to assess as it is happening; hindsight is often the best way to evaluate how far we’ve come. It’s only when I think back to those initial therapy sessions and how stiff, swollen and painful my knee was that I can appreciate how much better I am, that I can see my progress. I hope all of us can look back in hindsight and be pleased at how much better we and our lives have become.  

This column originally appeared in the August 2018 issue of Northern Connection magazine.