First thing’s first. As we all know, work takes up a huge component of our life. Say, for example, we work the traditional 40 hours per week (some people 50, 60, or even 80). But for sake of ease, we'll break down the 40 hour work week. Right away, that consumes 25% of the 7 day week. Add in commuting time and that equates to a total of 30% of our week. Now, at first glance, that doesn’t look too overbearing. Hey, 70% of the week is left for just me, right? Well, take another 40% out for sleeping, another 5% out for cooking, cleaning, and chores. And so on and so forth. Regardless, time flies. But, back to my main point. Work takes up a lot of time in a traditional sense. So, why on Earth would we pick something that we don’t enjoy? In order to perform great work and to do great things, we must be truly satisfied with our jobs. Therefore, great work and the effort we put into work, is all driven by the fact that we must love what we do. As the classic, cliché but true, saying goes, “Love what you do, do what you love – and you’ll never have to work another day in your life.”
Next up. Follow your intuition. More often than not, it is that intuition that steers us to what we want to become. Whether you’re 5 years old and want to become a firefighter, you’re 18 years old and are beginning to pursue a degree in Physical Therapy, or whether you 52 and still want to become something more – no one is stopping you. The world seems like it may be against us at times, but we are handed opportunities on a daily basis, 24 hours worth of time and opportunity, that can be molded into something great if we let it. Especially long-term. So, it’s okay if you’re undecided about where you want to be in 5 years. But, at least have a vision. Because having goals keeps us from becoming stagnant. Having goals keeps us young. Having goals keeps us moving forward rather than falling back. Lastly, know the difference between feelings and principle. Principles always have an end-effect to them. Our feelings, on the other hand, can either have an excitatory or inhibitory effect on those principles. For example, we may not “feel” like waking up early, we may not “feel” like reading a book, we may not “feel” like going outside for a walk or run, we may not “feel” like going to work. These feelings can drag us down. These feelings can mold our minds to believe that it’s okay to live life in mediocrity and just going with the flow and think it's okay to say these things because everyone else does. Now, take the “not”s out before each statement above. Not only does this create a much more positive light on each situation, it enables us to be fueled by positivity. Because by saying that “I don’t feel like doing _____”, it can set us back without even realizing it. So, establish your own principles important to you as a person and do not let the feelings of not wanting to do something deter you from your foundation. So remember, perspective. Love your job. Love your life. Do the little things. As I said before, it’s not always easy to follow these principles, but it sure is simple. Until next time, Mike
0 Comments
One of the biggest unanswered questions that we face as physical therapists, or really any person that requires face-to-face interaction for their profession, is how to read people. It is something that is not necessarily taught in school, there is no textbook with guiding principles behind the theory, and there is certainly no “gold standard” method of approaching this situation other than to just be a human being – be nice, supportive, compassionate, and kind – when dealing with others. However, with over 7 billion people on this Earth, there is essentially 7 billion personalities, exact methods of interactions, and variations of communication that are programmed within each person. Of course, we don’t meet every person on the planet, so I use hyperbole to get across the point. Nevertheless, we all come across people who try and hide their problems as best they can, people who cry out for attention at all costs, or people who fall into the middle of that wide spectrum. As health care providers, it is up to us to be able to decipher the situation, maintain an objective and rationale perspective on that situation, and be able to translate someone’s pain and/or problems simultaneously withstanding an unconditional positive regard. Now, this is where the mystery lies.
At times, it is difficult to read the motives behind a person. Especially when dealing with patients or people who have pain or a certain condition that leaves them in this gray area – especially seen in patients with chronic conditions. How is it possible to maintain a positive and sympathetic attitude with a patient who clearly presents with signs and symptoms that don’t line up? How is it possible to view a perspective from the eyes of a patient when that patient is outright rude and disrespectful to you? How is it possible to remain positive with a patient who is so negative? The answer is not an easy, but it can be simple. Simple and easy do not have the same definitions either. Simple is lack of complexity, whereas easy is a lack of effort. It takes a very simple approach (lacking complexity) to apply the little things that are generally overlooked in situations that cause frustration to provide a clear perspective that does not get clouded by outsider influence. When a patient comes in with pain that doesn’t necessarily line up, doesn’t respond well to the first few interventions you choose, or the patient just doesn’t have a nice bone in their body – all it takes is for you to keep your head up and keep trying. A conversation is obviously warranted in situations like these in order to better open the communication channels that are frequently blocked out by one or both parties that do not see eye to eye. What typically works the best in this scenario is compassion. Compassion for the patient, their condition, and to realize that outside of your 30 or 45 minutes together, you must realize what they may have to go home to what they may be dealing with outside of that one appointment. Sure, you have 6 other patients to make up for this one “bad” one, or you may get to go home to a nice, warm, comfortable home with friends and family around you. Compassion may not solve their pain 100%, but when nothing physically seems to be working,the little things become the big part of the reconstructed approach. Now, on the flip side of this. A patient who is clearly working very hard in their rehabilitation and seems to be hitting a plateau in their progress. You see them going through excruciating pain to take a step, to bend their elbow, or to even wiggle their fingers. You want so badly for that compassionate side to trump all else. But, what a patient may need most, especially in their long-term outlook, is for you to put aside their pain, to overlook the difficulty that your “wrath” may be causing them, and to see their progress in an objective versus subjective perspective. That is, see them as a patient who requires challenge and adversity to progress to the next level versus allowing the short-term “ouch” get in the way. So, although we did not necessarily learn how to “read” people or patients specifically within our schooling, in these scenarios, we must use our best judgment, our assessment skills, and take advantage of having the little things on our side, to make the best decision possible to move forward with a specific person’s prognosis and plan of care. There are certain circumstances that call for either of these situation to arise. But again, with every person you meet, their needs are different. We must maintain our unconditional positive attitude towards our patients no matter what they cost to us, and realize that each patient requires something different. It is then our responsibility to maintain an objective yet rational perspective of their pain and problems, communicate with our patients, take the simple (not easy) approach, and continually reassess our choices during their plan of care. It is our responsibility to remain rationale with the people we come in contact with, but that does not mean that we must lose the compassion that is needed so much in this world nowadays. By mixing compassion with reality, we can apply the principles of the little things to develop our relationships, our life, and our approaches to keep our perspective as clear as humanly possible. Until next time, Mike I recently discharged a patient who was experiencing ankle pain. I had treated her before for her shoulder, so this was her second round of therapy. Her presentation was obviously different between the two cases, but both episodes of care ended positively with a good success story to accompany each. She was enthusiastic about her plan of care both times, compliant with her home exercises, and she trusted the system I used to treat her for both her ankle and her shoulder.
There was one more similarity between the two episodes of care; her sincerity in the way she thanked me at the end of each session. To me, there was just something different about her delivery, as if she truly appreciated the time. It was enough to stand out to me, more so than the typical “thanks, have a good day” from most patients. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll take any kind of thank you with good intentions, but some times you can just tell when people mean it instead of just saying it to be polite or because it is expected. You can give thanks in a lot of ways. Regardless, I believe it's important to make sure people know when you appreciate them, sincerely. With the inspiration from this patient, I remembered a short story that I had found online years ago. I've added it to the bottom of this blog for you all to read and think about. I did not write this story, but I took a lot from it. I hope you do the same (it looks a lot longer than it is, and it's worth the 5 minutes it will take. Thanks for your time, ~ Brian It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, girls, career, and life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit of his dreams. There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife and son. He was working on his future, and nothing could stop him. Over the phone, his mother told him, "Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral is Wednesday." Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days. "Jack, did you hear me?" "Oh sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It's been so long since I thought of him. I'm sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago," Jack said. "Well, he didn't forget you. Every time I saw him he'd ask how you were doing. He'd reminisce about the many days you spent over 'his side of the fence' as he put it," Mom told him. "I loved that old house he lived in," Jack said. "You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man's influence in your life," she said. "He's the one who taught me carpentry," he said. "I wouldn't be in this business if it weren't for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important... Mom, I'll be there for the funeral," Jack said. As busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his hometown. Mr. Belser's funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away. The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time. Standing in the doorway, Jack paused for a moment. It was like crossing over into another dimension, a leap through space and time. The house was exactly as he remembered. Every step held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture... Jack stopped suddenly. "What's wrong, Jack?" his Mom asked. "The box is gone," he said. "What box?" Mom asked. "There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he'd ever tell me was 'the thing I value most,'" Jack said. It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box. He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it. "Now I'll never know what was so valuable to him," Jack said. "I better get some sleep. I have an early flight home, Mom." It had been about two weeks since Mr. Belser died. Returning home from work one day Jack discovered a note in his mailbox. "Signature required on a package. No one at home. Please stop by the main post office within the next three days," the note read. Early the next day Jack retrieved the package. The small box was old and looked like it had been mailed a hundred years ago. The handwriting was difficult to read, but the return address caught his attention. "Mr. Harold Belser" it read. Jack took the box out to his car and ripped open the package. There inside was the gold box and an envelope. Jack's hands shook as he read the note inside. "Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennett. It's the thing I valued most in my life." A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, as tears filling his eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch. Running his fingers slowly over the finely etched casing, he unlatched the cover. Inside he found these words engraved: "Jack, Thanks for your time! -Harold Belser." "The thing he valued most...was...my time." Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his office and cleared.his appointments for the next two days. "Why?" Janet, his assistant asked. "I need some time to spend with my son," he said. "Oh, by the way, Janet... thanks for your time!" “It’s a challenge to stay positive on your worst day and humble on your best day…but they’ll help you keep going and growing.” –Jon Gordon
At the end of each day, it is within our human nature to conclude our thoughts and label the day as either “good” or “bad”. Most of the time, it isn’t necessarily a black or white decision, as certain points of your day were good with maybe a few low points along the way. Most people, especially the ones with a good attitude, will end their day with a view of their day as “half full” rather than half-empty. Through this life, it’s inevitable though to have ALL “good days”. But, with a little change in thought, we can take some of those so-called “bad” days, add in perspective and use it to re-think our initial evaluation of them. Take a moment. Picture yourself. Sitting in traffic. Getting scolded by your boss for not having your report or progress note in on time. Staying an hour and a half after your shift because the day was so busy that you needed time to catch up on. Getting oil on your favorite pants at lunch. Dealing with a monotone patient that everything you do to them is considered “wrong” by their standards. Your power goes off in the big storm. Your flight is delayed. Your doctor’s appointment gets changed to a more inconvenient time for you. You get the point… These are all very relatable situations that could occur in any typical or normal day’s routine that make us classify it as a “terrible day”. Sure, they aren’t ideal situations and especially aren’t situations that would classify them as “good” days. But, are they really BAD days? What if you’re two+ hours away from home and someone close to you in your family is transferred to the ICU. You re-direct your whole original blueprints for that weekend and end-up bedside hoping and praying for you family member to pull through. What if your heart decides to act up and stops functioning properly sending you to the hospital? What if you’re the unlucky soul who gets hit by a drunk driver and are forced to have a lower leg amputation? What if someone close to you is taken from you? What if…? What if…? What if…? Through this post, I hope you can see my message. Any person can feel good when things are on their side, when they have their health, when all the bills are paid off, and your relationships are functioning positively. That’s when it’s easy to remain positive about your days. It’s easy to keep the faith. The real challenge though? The real challenge comes when our limits are pushed and something is changed out of order. Whether it be a big change or a little change. By having perspective in our lives, in enables us to see the bigger picture. We aren’t forced to focus on the miniscule events that happen during our day that classify it as a bad day, often overshadowing all of the many good things that become overlooked in the process. When we realize what truly makes a terrible day, we are able to see ourselves as lucky through our normal fluctuation of days. And, if by chance, life does throw us a terrible day, we may respond accordingly, call upon our courage, and band together with the people we love most. Because, you see, when life does throw us something that is truly terrible – to either ourselves or a loved one – it is then when most people gain perspective and wish for all of those miniscule “bad” things again in their life because they now realize those aren’t the things that make it a bad day. Their perspective check came too late. Take this message and try to apply it before you are forced to apply it. We must always appreciate the little things and try to not ever let small things get in the way of the bigger picture of our lives. Little things and small things are different. The little things help us gain perspective, while small things make us loose sight. And remember, life is all about perspective. Until next time, Mike Respect is something that is hard to describe. It’s a trait, a feeling, an agreement, and it shows a lot of character when it is genuine.
It doesn’t take very long to get a sense of respect, because it is something that presents itself in many forms. First impressions give a very good indication about respect, but sometimes it is not fully discovered until you dig a little deeper. Self respect, respect for others, respect for places, ideas, and opinions… so many levels that all stem from that same core value. Every job presents itself with the opportunity to perform respectfully. For the sake of this blog, I’ll use physical therapy as the example (or any health care profession). Respect becomes a mutual theme between patient & practitioner from the first encounter. It is displayed in the waiting room, where it all begins. A business owner who respects his or her practice and reputation creates a welcoming environment. An employee that respects his or her job, boss, and practice will do their job justice and apply themselves, while actively listening to their patient. A handshake hello on day 1 means that the therapist is happy to meet his or her patient. A handshake on the last day of therapy means that the therapist respects the time that was spent, regardless of how it went. A patient who is respectful will appreciate the professional they are seeking help from, be faithful and truthful, and participate to be a part of their own plan of care. What do all 3 of these people have in common in this situation? Self-respect not only takes priority, but it is pretty critical to make the whole operation flow as it should. If you want to be respected by others as a professional, you can’t expect it to come if you aren’t giving yourself that respect. People that you are serving can see it, be it self-respect or self disrespect, and they will feed off of it. We've all had times where we come home from work after "one of those days" and feel very negative. There is, however, a difference between someone who respects what they do for a living, and one who does not. People who respect their profession wake up the next day and go give a better effort. If they worked hard to get that job, and they respect that journey, they owe it to themselves. They should go about their day with that self-respect, because the job is affected directly by their attitude towards it. In my opinion, respect can be amplified in such a simple way. It doesn’t take a grand act to show your respects. Saluting the flag, giving a moment of silence, shaking a hand, giving your chair up for an older person, and being good to your parents … all such small, small things. These little things speak volumes. It is the way each job should be done, the way each situation should be approached, and the way each day should be lived, respectfully. Take care, Brian Every week, Brian and I push out posts to our readers with the intent of spreading our message and values that we believe makes up the little things in life. Ultimately, our mission comes down to being the best person you can be each and every day. Within that standard, it includes trying to complain as little as you can, giving everyone the attention they deserve, and seeing your day as not a self-driven 24 hours, but rather an opportunity to have an impacts on others around you. Having said that, I don’t want you to think that we are perfect in the ways that we preach our message. Yes, it is one thing to say all of these things – but, it’s a whole other bag of chips to be able to follow through with your values and put your actions where you mouth is.
We all have bad days. Unfortunately, it's inevitable. It’s hard to be happy and feel perfect 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. As much as we all wish for this perfect life, there are always going to be bumps in the road. No matter how much we view perspective and cherish how lucky we are, there are going to be moments that we slip up. Moments when we say “Why me? Why did I have to spill my coffee on my lap? Why does my schedule suck today.” – Rather than “You know what, I am just lucky I have the opportunity to go about my day today and do the job I love.” Perspective tends to come back to us at some point when our emotions calm, but my message is to say, that it is okay to slip up for a minute. It’s okay to be angry. It’s okay to be upset or frustrated. Above all, it’s okay to be human. Recently, I watched a documentary called “Minimalism” in which these two guys live life in the most simplistic manner possible. Removing unnecessary objects from their everyday life, trying not to see the glory in materialistic products, and living life through life and not with satisfaction of these so-called prized possessions. The documentary goes on to say that this is not a lifestyle for everyone, it’s just a choice that people have the option of choosing. But, by seeing the perspective of a minimalist, their goal was to share their message about trying to live life through personal interactions and through basic means rather than trying to buy happiness with expensive things. The same principles apply with our #thelittlethingsinpt blog. We know that it is not THE only template and standard of how life should be lived. We see that it is A template/standard of living that we may so choose to live. Just because we say something in our blog, doesn’t mean that that is the gold standard – as nice as that would be. We see #thelittlethingsinpt as our opportunity to reach out and share our perspective on our values, our morals, and the way we try to compose ourselves and to be each and every day. I express frequently in my posts that if our readers can take one thing from our posts and apply it to their daily lives, then we have done our jobs successfully in sharing our message. Think of our blog as a gourmet meal. Yes, every day, it would be wonderful if we could have a gourmet meal to indulge our satisfaction. Truth is, it’s not always possible. But, what is possible, is taking single ingredients that make up this “gourmet meal” point of view, and apply them. This attempt at a metaphor is to basically say our main message – if you take one, two, three, or all ideas and perspectives out of our blog posts, then you are on the right track. These “ingredients” act as simple reminders to all of us about perspective, about the way we approach our job as a physical therapist or life as a person, and how to make the most of the time we have each and every day. Above all, see that the little things in life equate to the most important things when we take the time to view the big picture. Until next time, Mike Routine. It’s all about a routine. Many people, every day, wake up and get ready for their shift of work at a consistent time. They get home at another similar time and have another routine for after work. Routines become popular because they create comfort. Many working people become comfortable with the grind, because repetition creates more consistency within that routine and the familiarity creates a sense that they are home. Sure, familiarity in what you do and how you do it is responsible for a majority of this experience, but it is really amazing how much we become obsessed with the timing of things.
What happens when something gets in the way of that routine? Some interruptions are positive. A text from a friend to meet up for drinks after work, or an evening doing something different, that causes you to stay up later than you typically would. In this case, you may be inclined to take up these offers, instead of going back to your couch after work, or getting that great night of sleep that you strive for. But when a negative interruption to the routine comes up, there are 2 things that contribute to someone’s reaction: the severity of the situation, and how you perceive that interruption. Once again, a lot of that reaction has to do with the timing of it all. I’ll give you an example. You are working in an outpatient PT clinic and you are briskly rolling through a morning full of patients, and everything is “going as scheduled”. Then it is 10 minutes past 11 am, and your last patient before lunch has not yet arrived. Time for that reaction to commence. The severity of the situation and how you perceive that/let it affect you decides a lot about how feel for the next half hour. The thoughts start coming along.. If this person doesn’t show up, how will this impact my numbers for the week? Is this person taking my plan of care seriously? When am I ever going to eat lunch? Or even simply, "How dare this patient NOT show up on time??" I’d like to add in a sub-blog here, in hopes that it will stir a little perspective. Different parts of the country hold different types of standards with punctuality. In my area (and most likely in the region of anyone currently reading this), time is precious and people expect you to be on time. I spent a week in Haiti for the last two years, working at an outpatient rehab clinic that offered physical and occupational therapy. There was no schedule. When we got to the clinic in the morning, patients would already be sitting there. People would wait for hours, and gratefully walk in when their name was called. Some would come in the morning, some would come in the afternoon. Now I know things are much different between Connecticut and Haiti. I’m not saying anything needs to change, except maybe how flustered people get when there is a shift in their routine, or someone doesn’t show up on time. Yes, I believe it is very important to be punctual and in a professional setting, a strong standard should be kept. It’s the frustration that can be lowered if your patient walks in 10 minutes late. You can recognize that they are late and kindly let them know it’s not ideal, because you want to make the most out of their time there. But letting that drag you down or make your day any worse isn’t necessary. The worst is when you hear someone say something along the lines of "I knew it was going to be a bad day when my first two patients came in late.. It's been all downhill since then". It's all about perspective, once again. We all want a steady flow of a work day without any inconveniences, but the reality is that this does not always happen. Accept that your routine, or even your expectations for a situation, aren't always going to happen. Think about what you have control over, and take action to change those parts of the situation. The primary example being your attitude.. Just think about it. Do you really want to spend your hours at work complaining and being negative? People come off like they are really only looking for attention to their negative attitude, and no one needs that. It's inevitable that you'll face challenges in a typical day. Don't sweat the small stuff, don't complain, and consider what someone else might be going through (as you can see, Mike and I tend to be on the same page with these themes). Take care, ~Brian On a daily basis, typically, negative vibes surround people. People having complaints about this, that, and the other thing – focusing on all the wrong things. People around them feeding into it. And it becomes this ever-growing snowball effect that is hard to slow down. Negative talk to others and negative self-talk seems to be a norm and acceptable in today’s world with media and publicity forcing us to believe what a “perfect life” consists of - as if there is one.
I was astounded earlier this week when I asked one of my patients a very simple, common question. “How are you doing today?” He replied, “I’m great, no complaints at all, Mike.” I was immediately taken back. NONE?! No complaints? A man who was once fully independent and mobile just 2 short years ago, had a freak accident suffering from a fall down the stairs, and his whole world turned upside down. Suffering an incomplete C1-C4 spinal cord injury. And yet, this man had "no complaints". Fortunately for him, he has made progress since his accident, now having the ability to coordinate synergistic movements to stand with a walker to support him – but, still. Living life for the past two years in a nursing home at a young age, requiring a personal care-giver 2x/day 7 days/week – this man has NO complaints. PERSPECTIVE. This man was enthused by the thought of the little components of his treatment. PNF techniques (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation), energy conservation techniques, tips to make basic transfers easier, and passive range of motion - all of these things made his day. It’s just so ironic how life ends up. Life is handed to us at times and most of the time we only pay a small fortune for such a wonderful gift. It allows us to take things for granted without feeling guilty, it allows us to experience some of the most breathe-taking things/moments/people in which it is not until after we experience it, that we truly appreciate it. It’s hard to always be 100% grateful. It would be exhausting to have to be so grateful for everything, every moment, and every aspect of your life. Most of the time we imply a 'thank you'. But, if you take anything from this short message today, realize that complaining doesn’t fix anything. It doesn’t change your situation. It never makes your situation better. In fact, complaining is something that most people get annoyed by or have as their pet peeve. Don’t be a complainer. Enjoy life for what it is. Enjoy the little things. See the good in every situation. And when you’re asked, say that you have no complaints today - because on the large spectrum, what do we really have to complain about? Until next time, Mike We’ve all gotten to the point where, one way or another, we get frustrated with the person in front of us. A patient, a peer, a friend, a family member, or even a stranger. There seems to be that tipping point where we find ourselves getting quick with that person, giving minimal responses, or brushing off what they have to say. Is it because we’re in a bad mood? Possibly. Is it because that person in front of you is being rude, unkind, or they are in a bad mood? Even moreso likely. Although a majority of people feed off of the vibes given within our environment, including the person right in front of us, it may be time for an attitude check.
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.” Here’s another one of my favorite quotes that brings up a point that sometimes gets brushed under the rug. Look at the person in front of you. Look them in the eye. Whether they are smiling, being an ass, giving you one word responses, acting shy or just look absolutely miserable - chances are, there is something going on in their head that’s deterring them from being present. Even if it is every time you see them – they’re just a grouch. A chronic grouch. Something in their life is causing them to be like that. Whether it be a family issue, they don’t like their job, financials, in the midst of a foreclosure, or in the midst of a divorce. It can be any number of reasons. Now, you ask, what are the chances their rudeness has to do with you? Most likely, slim to none. So don't take offense. People aren’t born mean, grumpy, quiet, or insensitive. The surroundings that they are placed in during their everyday life formulates a person’s mannerisms, attitudes, values, and mood. Values and morals are typically engrained through childhood and family. Not everyone is lucky enough to have grown up in a healthy household, have parents that taught them right from wrong, or just how to be a good person. So not only does this allow you to see how fortunate we really are on a daily basis to have what we have, it also allows your to open up your perspective on your everyday life. Here’s another example. You’re waiting in line for your coffee at Dunkin Donuts. There’s a young girl behind the counter trying to rifle through the 6 orders coming in from the register, Drive-Thru, and mobile app. But you stand there and see the person next to you tapping their foot, checking their watch vigorously, rolling their eyes, waiting for their coffee. Should that girl really take offense? No. Deep down, the reason that person is tapping their foot is because they left 5 minutes later than normal, have a chance of being late for work, and they just expected everything to go quickly. Ten minutes later they’re sitting in traffic honking the horn. Yeah, that person. We've all witness that person, but we've all been that person. Are you really mad at the traffic? Are you mad at the high school girl trying her best to handle 12 coffees at once? Or deep down, is it the fact that there's so much going around you and you’re looking for an excuse? Perspective. So, next time you have your patient in front of you. Treat them with compassion 100% of the time. You have no idea what kind of fight they are battling at home, at work, or inside their own head. Take time to make their day better. My last clinical rotation of PT school, I was placed in a skilled nursing facility. I left a quote on my clipboard each day that read, “Make these 60 minutes that you spend with your patient, the best 60 minutes of their day.” Same goes for out-patient clinics, in-patient, geriatrics, pediatrics, or sports medicine. Allow people to find coming to PT as an escape from their problems or inner battles. Give them a reason to smile. Just do yourself and your patient a favor and don’t feed into their negativity. Especially in these situations, it is the little things that will have the impact to make your 30, 45, or 60 minute appointment the highlight of their day. I promise you that. Until next time, Mike “The physical act of walking is easy….A routine miracle. Something machines have yet to replicate with any versatility, coordinating 360 joints with precise and broad visual input, while maintaining balance on two feet, transcending time and space. It took eons of evolution for us to get up, to walk upright; it is our pinnacle, yet for many of us, it’s a wasted advantage. To truly appreciate walking takes an enlightened attitude.”
Now, before you read the rest of this post, go back and read the above quote once more. Yes, as physical therapists, we are considered “movement experts”. Our curriculum sent us through depths of the gait cycle multiple times. We were asked to learn this movement inside and out. Observing videos, real-life people, the figures in our books, everything. Many of us could tell you the exact muscles firing at each stage of this “normal walking pattern.” So although we may have the advantage on knowing just how truly miraculous the act of walking truly is, anybody, with the correct perspective, can also appreciate the value and the marvel within the act of putting one foot in front of the other. For those of us in the FitBit community, we aim to take 10,000 of these “steps” per day as a target to aim towards. Without even really thinking twice about it, we call it upon our bodies to deliver 10,000 of these progressions per day. Some people strive for much more, some people settle for much less. All situation dependent. Whatever the activity a person decides to take part in, even just a leisurely-paced walk, these steps can add up rather quickly without even thinking about it… 20 steps to the bathroom, 45 steps to our car parked in the driveway, and 350 steps from our car in the parking lot to our desk at work. However, sometimes we are in such a scramble to get into work because we’re running a few minutes behind or we’re thinking about this Sunday’s Superbowl, our mind allows us to not even focus on the steps. It becomes second nature. A central pattern generator is, for lack of a better term, a program or network deep within the central nervous system that produces rhythmic movement patterns with or without sensory feedback guiding the movement. Basically, the act of walking has the ability to be generated directly from the spinal cord through a reflexive pattern, without requiring cortical input from the brain to produce the rhythmical and reciprocal pattern of gait. The act of walking is a true example of a “CPG” within our system. As stated above, it allows us to walk without truly realizing that we’re even stepping, unless otherwise thinking about it. Except in the event of a neurological deficit, the rhythmical task of walking is still able to be generated on a consistent basis, regardless of the range of motion allotted within our systems. Left and right oppositional coordination combining all four limbs as well as truncal movement is almost unfathomable to believe that such complex activity can be modulated through a reflexive pattern. Walking and talking, stepping over a small chunk of ice in the sidewalk, avoiding a dog toy left in the middle of the living room are all tasks that our body is able to process while still achieving a normal gait pattern. Behind the scenes, the inputs and sensory information fires to respond to avoiding the obstacle, yet all the while, our body maintains forward progression. So yes, very obscure and difficult to understand on a biomechanical and neurological vantage point, but long story short, the act of walking is pretty darn cool. Now, back to the quote at the top of this post again. On my desk at work, I have a photo with this reminder taped for everyone to see. Because, truly, on a day to day basis, those of us who are able to walk without even thinking about it, we take it for granted. It should not be a slap on the wrist when we take this movement for granted – that’s what our body was designed to do. We were built so that dual-tasking was possible with relative ease and without thinking about it. Imagine if we had to focus on each step as we walked to go anywhere. To a certain extent, even when hiking through the forest, we are able to avoid most tree stumps or branches or root that block the main path of the trail without a second thought given. Or, imagine if we couldn’t text or e-mail from our smartphones while walking down the street….well, maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad thing overall. But, you get the point. No matter which was you look at it, from your first step out of bed in the morning, a walk to your car, walking down the stairs to lunch, or just going for a hike in the woods – the act of walking is a miracle. Now, add running into that, taking complex increased signaling with constant switching from single leg support at a double-time pace – and it is astounding how our bodies are able to coordinate the patterns. And it truly does take an enlightened attitude to really appreciate the capability to do so. Regardless of our level of appreciation of walking, we need to begin to realize the miracle that it is. Although we take it for granted and it is such a “simple” task when looked at face value, there are multiple people in this world that would give their whole life to be able to take a step today on their own. To not rely on parallel bars or their power wheelchair to move. Put yourself in perspective. People have this ability to walk taken away from them in a blink of an eye sometimes and their whole world flips upside down – because we never really imagine our life without being able to walk until it becomes an unfortunate reality. For instance, I recently joined in participation with the Amputee Support Group in Hartford, CT as a staff facilitator. There, I was listening to some of the people tell their stories. One gentleman spoke about how it has been many years from his accident, and he is just finally starting to see his life come back together - because of his ability to now walk with a prosthesis correctly. He was ecstatic about being able to walk down an aisle in the food store - something we do and how many of us dread such a simple thing? In fact, he says he's back up to 10,000 steps a day walking on a prosthesis. Amazing. And something that some people with two functioning legs don't do on a regular basis. Appreciate your ability daily to walk. Take 5 steps… Then think about every muscle, joint, bone, nerve, blood vessel and body system, not to mention your heart and lungs, that it took all to coordinate those 5 little steps. It is something that God, science, or a combination of the two (depending upon your beliefs) has allowed us to do effortlessly. The act of walking takes time and repetition to understand exactly what the human body goes through during each step we take. But, in the end, walking is one of the little things in life that is taken for granted on a daily basis. In a way, it is almost as if it was designed to be taken for granted. But, after working in this setting and seeing what I have seen in 8 short months, perspective forms itself, and you learn to appreciate the act of walking and life’s little gifts so much more. So, please, next time when asked to walk or ride – choose walk. Appreciate your abilities and don’t let them go to waste. When’s the last time you felt truly “good” after sitting down watch 5 hours straight of TV? How about after a nice run or walk or hike outside? It’s not a coincidence. Just some food for though. Until next time, Mike Nothing like getting inspired by my buddy Mike about putting up a blog post. I've been meaning to write about this topic for a while, and reading his last few posts about life in general encouraged me to go ahead and start writing. It's a similar concept, as it relates to mindfulness, mindset, and attitude. Its origin comes from our alma mater, Springfield College.
Mike and I were undergraduate students, and needed to fulfill some credit requirements before beginning the graduate phase of PT school. Both of us managed to sign up for a highly recommended sports psychology class taught by Charlie Sullivan, the men's volleyball head coach. After the first lecture, it was clear why this national champion men's volleyball team was so successful. Coach Sullivan began the first class from outside of the classroom. After us students were all seated, he came in with his shoulders slumped over, head down, muttering poor words of negative self talk. After a few minutes of this act, he drastically perked up, welcoming us to sports psychology class. Before the end of that lesson, we as a class understood that we would learn about how not to be that negative person that started the class off. Sure, this class may have been more directed towards students pursuing a career related to coaching or teaching, and we didn't learn anything directly related to physical therapy, but Mike and I gained a lot more than what the syllabus said we would. One lesson that Coach Sullivan taught us still resonates with me. He told us to take notice of most of the students walking around campus when it's raining out. Even outside of a college campus, most people react negatively when they look outside and see rain. Think about talking to patients or anyone you interact with at work. A rainy forecast comes on the TV at work and people moan and groan. Some people say they don't want to get out of bed when it's raining. Sure, this is probably a natural reaction that we are used to feeling when it is dark and gloomy. We are all guilty of it, and we all probably feel much better on a beautiful sunny day than a rainy one. I always say that my favorite day of the year is the first day after winter, when I can finally walk outside in shorts and a T-shirt. But that doesn't mean those cold days need to be bad. That reaction to a rainy day is completely in our head. Why decide that it is going to be a bad day just because it's raining out? Think about how many days it rains out of the year. Why let those create a negative start to the day without any other factors contributing? Sullivan says that instead of complaining, he celebrates. He says that he wakes up, see's that it's raining, and says "YES!! I love the rain!" He goes on to express his excitement about rain boots, stepping in puddles, and other things associated with rain that most people view as a nuisance. It's all in your head. Sullivan explains the same kind of mindset while you are pulling into a busy parking lot. Be positive. Don't say "Well, I'm never going to find a spot". Decide that you're going to get lucky and find an open space right in front of the building. Believe in that thought sincerely. What does this mindset do? It makes you a positive person during those 5 minutes searching for a parking space, rather than a negative person. And guess what, if you don't actually find that ideal parking space, at least you enjoyed that search for a spot, rather than complaining. Now get out of your car, and enjoy the walk from wherever you end up parking. These are simple examples that Sullivan says you can make a part of your daily attitude, with practice. There are exceptions, when it comes to tragedy, illness, and times where there is a legitimate cause for concern. But as far as the little things go, don't let them be negative little things. Turn them into positive experiences. Only you have control over your own mindset. It's a simple concept, and the mind is very powerful. No need to complain about the weather. It's going to happen regardless. Even if you simply don't contribute to the negativity, you're making for a happier environment, even in your own head as you think to yourself, "this isn't really so bad". Regardless of if Coach Sullivan actually feels very excited about rainy days, just deciding that he is going to react that way puts him in a better mood. Try it out. Wake up tomorrow, open your window curtains, and look outside. No matter what you see, be it rain, snow, or sunshine, tell yourself that you are going to have a great day. If you smile and really decide to believe in that thought, you're off to a great start. Enjoy yourselves till next time.. ~Brian Have you ever gotten to the end of a task, so close, that in fact you can see the light at the end of the tunnel? The finish line is in sight, but you wonder to yourself – how will I find the energy to get there? It happens to everyone now and again, but especially after a task that consumes so much of your daily time, effort, and thoughts. Now, this feeling can come from many different avenues. Even just getting through a day at work.
For me? Having just finished PT school, for one, is the most applicable situation I can think of at the moment. Just a short year ago, I was in the midst of my final clinical rotation, with my didactic years behind me, and my manuscript being the only thing from getting my diploma that I’d been working so hard for during the past 6 years. So, with this achievement so close, why did it feel so far away at the time? It could have been one of many reasons, but the fact of the matter is, a combination of stress, “burn-out” from school and the entire process, and anticipation of what to come in the future were all major components on my mind. Burn-out is a loosely used term nowadays and I feel as though, in some way, shape, or form, everyone has fell under the wrath of claiming “burn-out”. But, is it truly the fact that we are so bogged down and overworked that we feel as though we can’t do anymore? Or is it just our brain convincing us otherwise? Is it just a temporary shift in perspective that we force ourselves to believe to justify a reason to give up? How many times do we shift in and out of this “burn-out”? One day is good, the next 4 are stressful – so our brains say we are “burnt out”. People can use this term in regards to school, work, everyday life, or even a relationship – so it applies to everyone. People often become despondent in their attitude towards a special facet of their life that they can easily lose sight of the big picture. When we do this, we allow for an easy alternative for our thoughts to streamline down a negative path and persuade ourselves to believe we are under the impression of this old cliche. Looking above at my last post, in regards to goals of 2017, the main message was to break out of your normal routine. This is the #1 way to avoid any form of “burn-out” from the everyday work week, school week, or the treacherous Monday through Friday that everyone looks at so negatively because all they can see are the two days of freedom making up the weekend. I’m not saying that life is so easy that you should never feel these negative feelings. In fact, it would be strange if we only felt positive thoughts in regards to anything at all. Life is a rollercoaster, with planned and unplanned ups and downs, loops, potential at its highest point, and fear at its highest speed. But, that’s what makes it life. That’s what makes it a job. That’s what makes it school. It’s those challenges we face on a consistent basis, fighting through those “bumps” to get to where we want to be. Fighting through finals week at the end of the semester, fighting through the difficult patient who gives you grief no matter what else you try, fighting through the running list of chores to do at home. All of these things are the obstacles that we face, amongst many others, that allow for positive things to bring us such light in the same realms of life. So let’s do away with this “burn out” term. It’s become increasingly more popular to use when in fact, it may not truly be burn out. It’s just the stressors in our life that make it more complicated. But, as I said above, these complications, conflicts, and forks in the road are what make the positive aspects so much more rewarding. So, I’ll end on a list of tips for avoiding these negative feelings: ∑ Remain positive. A shift in perspective can make all the difference. ∑ Remove yourself from the typical Monday-Friday routine every once in a while. Mix it up. Variety is the spice to life. ∑ Listen to or read something inspiring in order to mold a perspective of motivation to become the driving force to be better, smarter, and find new ways around things. ∑ Have a conversation. Whether it’s your next-door neighbor, your fellow classmate, the patient in front of you, or a stranger on the street – have a simple conversation. Not only does this pass the time, but it allows for a personal connection that is paramount in having a good day. Go back and forth with another person, I guarantee you will learn something new, hear an intriguing story, or at the very least, make the person's day in front of you much better. ∑ Lastly, realize the good in life. Don’t dread traffic – see yourself as fortunate enough to drive a car. Don’t stray from exercise because it’s cold outside or you’re tired, embrace your body’s ability to move. Don’t complain about how bland your chicken is. Add some seasoning and call yourself lucky for having a meal tonight. Don’t avoid reading your books, think of yourself as lucky enough to have an education. Don’t compare your bank account to Donald Trump’s, understand that it takes time and good habits to save. And lastly, don’t complain – life could be so much worse. So whether you’re a follower of my blog, a physical therapist, a student trying to finish off PT school, or you just happened to stumble upon this post, realize that with perspective, there is no such thing as “burn-out”. We cannot control everything in life, but we do always have control over one constant - that is ourselves and our perspective. It is up to us as an individual to shape our attitudes from the moment we open our eyes in the morning to when we pull the covers back over us at night. Realize that with every obstacle, or two or three, there is always a finish line. The reward at the finish line is whatever you make of it – so that, I will leave up to you. Most of all, be thankful for everything you have. Life is a precious thing and it goes by too quick to just wish it away. Enjoy every phase. Even the bad days. Incorporate the little things in your everyday life, become self-aware of your perspective, and you’ll see that burn-out is only a figment of that perspective. The more we can collectively get away from this term, the better off we will be. Just remember that. Until next time, Mike Well, as we know, 2017 is well underway. Almost a month into the New Year. The old saying of “New year, new me” can be applicable depending on the severity of change we’re interested or motivated enough to put forth. However, what about those people who are comfortable where they stand, or happy with the progress they’ve made over the past year. Now, I’m not talking just about the typical, “I want to workout more”, “I want to eat better.” These changes can even extend professionally. And it doesn’t have to change you. It doesn’t have to make you a “new me”.
In the Hartford Courant a few Sundays ago, there was an article titled “2017 Starter Guide”. Inside of it, as the title suggests, it offered ways to set forth on a positive 2017. Now, not everything is applicable to everyone, but I wanted to touch on a few points that can easily be translated into your life. These points are paraphrased, but mostly a spin off on my thoughts and my goals I set for myself in 2017. 1. Read a book. Even just 15 minutes a day. That adds up to 105 minutes per week, just shy of two hours. This doesn’t have to be a professional book, a school book, or some fancy journal - unless you want it to be. Just a recreational read that will enable you to engage your imagination rather than just having your eyes plastered on the television, iPhone/tablet, etc. 2. Utilize your resources. Find a podcast and delve in. Recently, I started to listen to PT Pintcast and it has become part of my daily routine to fill my commuting time with a short 30 minute episode that not only talks about physical therapy, but other ways to envision how to better yourself and your mind. 3. Take time to reflect. Being alone has its perks. Zone in on what you’ve achieved this past year, what you want to achieve in the upcoming year, and where you see yourself in, say, 5 years. Taking time to think about your future, while living in the present, allows for you to ignite the inner motivation that may be lacking its spark when stuck in the normative day-to-day routine. 4. Be a better person. I’m not saying you’re not, but everyone has their days. Make it a goal everyday to say hello to someone new. A stranger or an old friend. Say hello to a stranger on the street and watch them smile because it seems unexpected. Or, call an old friend in which you haven’t spoken to in over a month. Text messages are the easy way out. To make a difference, make their phone ring. Again, watch the impact that has on the other line. 5. Break your normal routine. Don’t be afraid to go outside your Monday-Friday grind. Go out on a Tuesday for dinner. Invite friends over for a Sunday night dinner even when you’re not “meal prepped” for the week quite yet. Go to bed at 9:30 pm instead of midnight. Find a recipe online and go for it. Go for a hike, just because. You’ll be amazed at how much better you feel if you stray from your normal M-F routine. 6. Here’s one of my personal favorites. Shut off your phone at 9 pm. Go the old fashioned route of buying a clock radio. Keep your phone off and in the living room at night, not on your night stand. Staring at a screen all day already does a job to our brains, eyes, and overall well-being. Use this time to get away from the world for a second. To disconnect from a world that now-a-days is so easy to be caught up in the whirlwind 24/7. 7. Take at least 1 second a day to be grateful. Say “thank you” – to either someone close to you, the higher power above that you may believe in, or just to yourself. Be aware of how lucky we are each day to have the ability to perform everything we do. I stand by one of my favorite quotes, “The things you take for granted, someone else is praying for.” Even if it’s just a thank you, that will suffice. Whatever it may be, just don’t complain. Appreciate life and the things you do have, and stop wondering or wishing for everything you don’t have. Life is simpler when we think like this. 8. Control the controllables. There are many things in life that happen to us and we can only control what we can control. Don’t let this frustrate you. Find a way to get through it, and like most things, it will all work itself out. 9. Don’t be afraid to take the blame. If you make a mistake own up to it. Chances are - your boss, friends, or loved one, will respect you more for admitting to a mistake rather than trying to play the famous ‘blame game’. Ensure responsibility for whatever actions you take and take pride in those decisions. In the long run, it will make you a better person. 10. Lastly, life is life. There are times when we need to be serious. But, a majority of the time it doesn’t need to be. Slow yourself down. Pause for a second everyone once and while and realize what you have. Laugh, have fun, and worry less about tomorrow so you can enjoy today. Above all, the overarching message of today’s blog post is to do what you feel is right. Do the little things in your daily routine, your daily interactions, and in your everyday life that resemble integrity. After all, we are remembered at the end of our day by our character, our actions and not by what happens to us. Not your typical post, but I hope whoever reads this can take at least one aspect and apply it. Be a better person, don’t settle, and always take into consideration the little things not only in PT, but in life. Happy Friday. -Mike It was once said, “True reflection of character means treating people nicely when you don’t have to.” I heard this earlier in the week on Sportscenter, as they were discussing the 2 year anniversary of Stuart Scott’s (a long time, well-known and respected sports anchor) passing. Now the question arises: Why and how does talking about a clip from Sportscenter relate to physical therapy? As I’ve stated in earlier blog posts, this blog isn’t meant to preach how to be the most knowledgeable physical therapist in the world – there are plenty of blogs to help therapists towards that goal. The purpose of this blog is to share how to the little things, inside and outside of physical therapy, can translate to being a better person, better team member, and in turn a better physical therapist. Realizing that, this quote from Sportscenter can indeed be related to our roles as therapists. How? Well, on an everyday basis, we treat patients. Patients who are new to us, and on the grand scheme of things, are strangers. Although these patient’s may tell us their life story because they enjoy talking to someone about it, or the patient/clinician rapport is well developed, our patients are still strangers to us in some sense.
There’s no written rule anywhere that we are required by law to be nice to anyone. However, the way we are brought up and raised, this value becomes instilled in our everyday life (hopefully), and kindness comes like second nature – especially to the people who are closest to us (friends, family, peers, coworkers). Even though there is no set standard, being nice to others closest to us is almost expected, as it should be, in order to develop a strong and friendly relationship. But, why does this not necessarily carry over to the way we as humanity interact with strangers, or people outside of our “circles” on a consistent basis. We hear things like “Being nice all the time is exhausting”, “Why should I be nice to them if they’re rude to me?”, “I’ll never see that person again anyways.” Think about those quotes for a second. I can almost guarantee that each of us have said at least one of those things in our lifetime – out of frustration, having a bad day, or just because in the moment we actually felt that way. Hey, we all can’t be perfect always, but self-awareness and the ability to address and correct our faults is what allows us to become better and better. A person's perspective can become so clouded by all of these thoughts that they begin to take shape in their own perspective. So, the next time you think of it, say “Hello” to a stranger walking by, introduce yourself to someone who seems timid in the environment you’re in, laugh with the people around you, truly listen to the person in front of you without feeling the need to rebuttal with your opinion or make your case, or just hold the door for someone with a smile. Approach your conversations, with ones close and those who are strangers, with the perspective, with empathy, and with the correct tone that allows you to connect with the person in front of you in a whole new light. All of these things are little in nature. These actions can literally take seconds yet have such a significant impact on someone’s day. And who knows, that kindness that you initiate tends to be contagious to the people around you. We can’t change the world by our actions alone, but we sure can make it better. The next time you have a grumpy patient/person in front of you or things just aren’t going right – don’t hold it against them. Be the bigger person, do the little things, and let your kindness be the over-glaring aspect in which strangers remember you by. Because remember what Maya Angelou intelligently remarked on, “… people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” We only get so long on this Earth to be a physical therapist, to be a friend, and have a positive impact. So why wait? There’s no right time to be nice. Incorporate it into your treatment style and your lifestyle and that genuine kindness will become part of your routine – and that right there – is something to be remembered by. Thanks for keeping up with the blog. Until next time, Mike Everywhere we go, and in everything we do, people like to be treated the right way. Pretty simple concept, and It makes sense. If you pass someone you know while you’re walking into a local coffee shop, a smile and hello goes a lot further than a cold shoulder. It is just the right thing to do, and it's minor.
Once you step into that coffee shop, the stakes get even higher. Sure, good service is expected. People expect to get the coffee they want in a timely manner, and that would be satisfactory. But the overall experience can be either elevated, or brought down by the actions of those providing service. The little things they do creates a ripple effect. That coffee shop will have a customer for life if they do the right little things, like respect the customer and treat them the right way. Easy to do, right? The same goes for physical therapy clinics, and I’d like to talk about something that can raise the bar even higher than simply doing the right thing and being respectful. A colleague and friend of mine recently introduced our staff to a few videos from a physiotherapist from the UK by the name of Paul Gough. Paul has an excellent youtube channel and website catered to helping PT's become succesful business owners. In many of his enlightening videos, Paul discusses how to reduce the number of cancellations and no-shows you experience in a clinic. "It's all about how we make them feel." Paul says, talking about patients, "It's almost like celebrity status". He continues by stating that it's a simple, little thing that we can do to fill patients with a feeling of significance. Making a patient feel like a celebrity during their therapy session goes a long way for them, and your business. He stresses the fact that one little thing we can do is use the patient's name. Starbucks does this by writing your name on your cup, and then calling out your name to the whole store when your drink is ready. People feel important when this happens, and it can easily be done in a PT clinic. What I take from this is more than just the subliminal feeling of being a celebrity when you hear your name or see your name, but knowing that this person that is providing a service to you is being personal enough to remember your name. You aren't just another patient, you're an individual, and your plan of care should also be catered to you, individually. You are not just another patient with back pain. I tell patients that all of the time, sincerely, because it's true. They appreciate that, and it resonates. Because when they come in, they aren't just going through the motions, they are getting a personal session to help them get to where they need to be. Paul goes on to say that patients with back pain would rather go to the hairdresser than PT because of the way the hairdresser makes them feel. People leave the hairdresser and they are complimented by how they look. This positive feeling leaves more of an impact because people do not get that kind of satisfaction from others based on how their back is feeling. The instant gratification of compliments based on the way they look creates a stronger chemical reaction, in Paul's words. Paul explains that as therapists, we can create that chemical reaction on the first visit, by making the patient feel significant, and by educating them, to understand that what we are doing will be significant for them. We as therapists need to make patients feel great walking out of our clinic. This can be accomplished, in an honest way, by providing appropriate feedback about their progress, confidently encouraging them to continue with their plan of care (because you are confident that your decision making will help them), and by being personal and using their name. Back to that coffee shop analogy. JD's Deli & Grill is a small, comfortable restaurant in my home town of Oakland, NJ that I enjoy going to every time I am back visiting my parents. It’s busy every time I go there, and business never seems to be slow. My Dad also enjoys going there. Regardless of how their sandwiches are compared to the deli across the street, there is a difference in going to this particular place. My Dad put it best, simply, “Every time you go in there, they make you feel important.” It’s easy for a busy deli to do the bare minimum, make your sandwich and coffee and send you on your way, shouting “NEXT!” in your face before you leave the counter. It’s just as easy to send a sincere wish for a good day or act respectful. To sum it all up, the goal is to make the patient excited about what is going on, because after all (if you are providing quality care and not just “going through the motions”) the effects of physical therapy can be very exciting. But patients need to understand that. When patients feel good about what is going on, they’ll not only look forward to coming back to continue getting better, but you may add a little more happiness into their day. They also don’t know the difference between one therapist and the next, from a treatment standpoint. But very often we run into patients that have had previous therapy elsewhere. If you do the little things, and make that patient feel like a celebrity, that patient will come back to you any time they need physical therapy, for life. ~ Brian For more information about Paul Gough and how he uses the little things, visit https://www.paulgough.com/ Think back to the time you were a rehab tech, an aide, an assistant, a bus boy/girl. Even think of the shoes you are in now. Chances are, someone of higher authority reigns above you. In certain circumstances, intimidation is a factor, but most of the time, ideally, we don’t let that authoritative hierarchy get in the way of what we do on a day-to-day basis. Now, think of the shoes you are in again. Chances are, you may be higher up in the chain of command than another one of your co-workers. Whether they report to you, listen to you, assist in what you do – we have some sort of responsibility of their role.
The “Golden Rule” anecdotally states, “Treat others the way you want to be treated.” True? Absolutely. Followed? Eh. Sometimes. Taking a minute to think about how we would feel or how we’ve felt when we were the assistant to another person allows us to open up on our perspective on the deeper meaning of this rule. How good did or does it feel to be praised? It's human nature to desire this feeling. It makes us feel accomplished, needed, and purposeful. It makes you want to continue that behavior that was praised. It motivates you to ensure that the behavior is practiced again and again. It allows for a better relationship to develop between the therapist/tech, waitress (waiter)/bus boy (girl), teacher/assistant, etc etc. It’s as simple as a “Thank you” to your tech for cleaning up the mat to prepare for your next patient, or as much as taking them aside and telling them what a great job they’re doing. Either way, deep down, it makes a gigantic impact on how they feel as though they are viewed in someone else's eyes. Everyone desires to be wanted – so taking the step to really facilitate this feeling and to show your appreciation rather than just assuming they know – this makes the biggest impact. Such a little thing, but something that we have control over ever day. The purpose of this post is short and sweet...to act as a reminder to myself and to you as readers to appreciate the help you have around you and, when appropriate, to praise those who make your, job, life and role easier. Not to sound like a broken record, but it’s the little things, day after day, whether it’s to your patient, your co-workers, friends, family, and the people around you that make the biggest difference. Make sure you treat others with the respect and with a touch of the little things that you wish you have in return. Be the person that initiates it - and be a role model to those around you so that praising the help we have becomes the norm. Subscribe above to get e-mail updates! -Mike With things seemingly changing all around you, sometimes our job becomes the only thing that remains a constant in our life. Getting stuck in the routine, the rut, or “going with the flow” becomes the easy thing to do. Appointments stacking up on top of each other, documentation hanging over your head, authorizations being cleared or declined, things to do before and after work, and lack of sleep because you spent until midnight the night before preparing your holiday cookies - all of these things make for the “routine” to be so appealing. But, stop. In the moment right now, stop, and think about the “why”.
Why did we become physical therapists? Why did we invest so much money in our education? Why do we dedicate our careers to making people better? Why does our alarm go off at 6 am? Why do we drink 4 cups of coffee in the morning to make sure we’re awake and alert for each of our appointments? Why do we develop a rapport with our patients? W.H.Y.? Now, the obvious answer may be because it’s a stable career in a field that is growing. But, take a second to reflect and think a little deeper. Have you ever received a compliment from a patient? A note or a card? A token of appreciation? Even a handshake at the time of discharge saying “Thank you so much for your time. You did a great job with me.” That feeling of achievement is something that no monetary value can compare to because it’s a genuine feeling of gratitude directed towards you. That’s the deeper reason. Not because we get a paycheck every week or two. If we are just striving towards this – that’s where burn out plays a significant factor. We do what we do because we have an opportunity each and every day to make an impact in someone’s life and help them with their pain, dysfunction, or any combination of the two that impairs their ability to be able to do what they wish to do on a daily basis. Opportunity is the key word. We possess the opportunity to make an impact each and every day on someone else’s life. A small impact or a life-changing impact are the two extremes on either end of the scale, but we have a majority of the control in the intensity of which our impact has a lasting effect. So, the next time you treat a patient, let the desire to instill an impact on the patient in front of you be the driving force to guide you through a treatment session. See a patient as one of your own family members or put yourself in their shoes. And the next time you receive a compliment praising your bedside manner, treatment style, or your overall impact – let that be the spark in your fire to continue to deliver the standard of care you are capable of delivering. The impact you can have on a patient is massive. Don’t forget this. Don’t forget the little things that we have the ability to choose whether or not we incorporate these into our style of treatment over a plan of care. Make it your goal to have a patient see your impact in their life so significant that they couldn’t or wouldn’t want to imagine their life without your help and guidance in returning back to where they want to be. Happy holidays to all. Enjoy all those little things we take for granted with our families, and appreciate every moment we get with them. Until next time, -Mike Have you ever thought about what the most meaningful aspect of your life is? Another person, your health, your job, your education, your family, or any combination of the above? How about least meaningful? Or what is made out to be least meaningful because we take it for granted. As a society, our values seem to have shifted in the age of technology. We become blind to what is most important to us, as other more “shiny” things take up a majority of our perspective. All the while, the other most important things in our life, take a back seat.
Take your job for example. How many times on a Monday do you hear, “Just another Monday. Ugh. When’s the weekend?” or “Monday’s suck.” Well, do they? Or is that just the newly formed view that is heard over and over again that it just becomes natural to think, feel, or say? Now, what if, under any circumstance, our ability to perform our job was to be taken from us? What if someday, we weren’t able to do what we wanted to do anymore? The passion, education, schooling, hard work, and all of our efforts to get where we are in our career just slipped away. At that point, wouldn’t we do absolutely anything in our power to get that back? Yeah, weekends are great. But isn’t the hard work during the Monday-Friday work week what makes those weekends more special. Perspective. It’s a matter of perspective. Beyond our jobs. Our health. Something that in the profession of physical therapy, especially working in an urban setting, I see on a daily basis. Now, there are always confounding circumstances behind everyone’s story, but on the aggregate, our health is taken for granted. The ability to speak. The ability to go from sitting to standing. The ability to put 2 feet on the floor when you wake up in the morning to start your day. The ability to have two feet to walk on. The ability to walk, to run, to exercise. The ability to take the stairs instead of relying on the elevator. The ability to get up and get your own drink of water from the fridge. Or run down the stairs to open your front door instead of leaving it unlocked for guests to just walk in on their own. These things, that most people just overlook every single day, especially as they occur, are the little things. I’m guilty too, frequently. But the reason I write, is so that my ideas can be heard by my readers and so that even if there is a 25% shift in perspective, I’ve done what I set out to do when creating this blog. Combine both of these above paragraphs and we put together the role of physical therapists. Incorporating our profession and tying it into our overall health and well-being and promoting health and function to our patients. Important, of course. Overlooked? 100%. But our job is to be advocates, role models, and pursuers of this mission. Allow people to see the importance of the ability to walk, complete a step down, squatting down and returning to starting positon. People see exercise and health promotion as some sort of punishment. It’s our jobs to polish this perspective and allow the beauty of movement to shine through. So, next time you’re asked to walk instead of ride, think of this post. Become the role model and advocate of our profession. Instill the little things into your routine, so they become like second-nature and be the best promoter of it. Imagine if the whole world was able to appreciate the ability to take a step for the miracle that it is – those little things, would magnify to big things. Be the advocate. And do yourself a favor: never let our ability to participate slip out of your own perspective. Until next, Mike Glimpsing down at my employee ID badge this morning, I was reminded of something that I take for granted everyday... core values. The ones on my badge are listed below:
1.Reverence 2.Commitment to those who are poor 3.Justice 4.Stewardship 5.Integrity These values, which shouldn’t come as a surprise, should just act as a reminder to us of what physical therapy stands for, and our role in the community. Although these are Trinity Health’s core values, they can be applied to any practice, any clinic, and any health profession. Five simple words can stand as the structural columns of our practice that can be all encompassing terms that surround the little things in physical therapy. Breaking it down further: Reverence. It means that as a therapist, we are to honor each person as their own, respect prior health encounters, experiences, and overall self being – and use it as a building block for taking another route to the betterment of their health and well-being. Commitment. In a world that seems so divided by every possible manner, it can be our jobs to take it in our own hands and commit ourselves to people who need it most. People who don’t have the resources they need to maintain and sustain good health or do not have the proper education to route themselves to good health – we can be the first line of defense in helping provide that change. Justice. Promoting the greater good through developing relationships with the people in the community and allowing for no barriers to be held between. As we become licensed, it becomes our duty to do everything in our power to be the best provider we can be and do everything in our power to provide healing and facilitate function. Stewardship. Putting aside our personal biases and holding ourselves accountable to providing best care and applying our knowledge towards our patients. No matter where our patients come from, their stories from where they began, and how they got to where they are now – we can make it our responsibility to provide the best care. Integrity. Sticking to your values and remaining true to those we say we would. Being the best therapist and person you can be, even when no one is looking. This is one of the most admirable traits we can have as therapists. We owe it to ourselves, our patients, and our profession to strive to portray this characteristic each day we put on our polo or our scrubs. Treat people with kindness, treat people with respect, and most of all, do the little things that allow the patient to see the improvements, big or small, in order to maintain confidence and keep their faith. These little things allow for our patients to see the better or their situation and make for better outcomes both functionally and psychologically. Until next time, Mike I want to bring up a point about this wonderful profession that I believe separates the best from the rest when it comes to clinicians. Come to think of it, this is applicable for every profession. To stretch even further then that, it applies to anything that anyone does in a given day. No matter what a person decides to do on a daily basis, they are doing themselves a favor if that choice is based on passion.
As physical therapists, we are very lucky. I know that is a very common theme for these posts that Mike and I put up, but it is true. In this instance, we are lucky because of the variety. If you made the decision to go to PT school, and then decided to continue on through graduation and job seeking, chances are you were willing to work that hard in order to do more than just earn a pay check. If you decided it was worth putting in hours of effort and thousands of dollars to get to this point, that decision had to be passion driven. Weather it was the overall passion for helping people in general, or if there was something more specific that intrigued you about being a PT some day, it was not for nothing. Maybe it started with a general idea that "PT sounds like a good idea because I know I want to help people and I have a passion for living a healthy life style." Or "I tore my ACL playing soccer in high school and I had the greatest PT in the world. He/she fueled my passion to follow in their foot steps because I looked up to them and their passion for the profession". Maybe your focus has shifted, and if you are lucky enough, maybe a new passion has formed to motivate you to do a little more for the profession. We all know that passions can have slight adjustments made to them with development, or they could change entirely. Think about what you have been passionate about over the course of your life. I'm sure most of you have some passions that haven't gone away, maybe faded slightly, or possibly grew even stronger over the years. Regardless of your individual situation, keep in mind the potential for passion to spark when you least expect it. We owe it to the profession to work relentlessly within the scope of the areas that intrigue us the most. It's a big field. We also owe it to ourselves to really do what we love every day, in a way that we love to do it. It is unrealistic to say that every therapist should strive to be well rounded and become versed in all aspects of physical therapy. But when you find that spark in a certain area, use that passion to move forward until you can't any more. The best part is, when you are working within an area that you are passionate about, it makes all of those little things during the day better, creating a more fulfilling career. ~ Brian “Your career. You have the best career in the world. You get to help people for a living.”
Reminders come in all different forms, but increase meaningfulness when you need it most. Getting caught up in the everyday clinical model…treat, treat, treat, eval, treat, notes, treat, notes, eval, treat – it’s easy to lose sight on the reason in which we do what we do every day. The frustrating patient, the patient who doesn’t listen, or the patient who doesn’t seem to appreciate the help we give to them makes for a cloudy perspective of how we can view our job. However, for every frustrating patient, there is bound to be a patient who looks forward to seeing you, who appreciates the work you do, and who can see the carry-over and progress from day 1 to discharge. Sometimes it doesn’t even take that – sometimes, all it takes is a person to recognize the obvious, and make our perspective clear again. Hearing the quote written above this morning from one of my patients, allowed me to open up my eyes a little wider. To realize what we do, no matter how the patient responds, is a special occupation. How many people on a daily basis complain about their job, can only hope for Fridays to come, or who’s eyes hurt from staring at a computer screen plugging numbers all day long. We interact for a living – we work with others and we try our absolute best to make them feel and function better. We are given each day as a different day, a different type of patient, a different diagnosis the patient comes in with, or a different treatment technique we learn from our co-worker, classmate, or even the research. We can experiment in a professional manner – use trial and error to help draw our conclusions and make our plan of cares more intriguing and efficient. Most of all, we are able to use the skills that we spent so long learning and trying to master, each and every day at work…but all of this is only if we choose to do so. Perspective, once again, allows us to do this. I caught myself a few days ago getting caught up in the routine of treating, and had to mentally shake myself in order to get out of it. Having a conversation with a patient about their weekend or a recipe they tried, can change your whole outlook on the session – even with a patient who may not be the “perfect” patient. You can either let the session run you, or enjoy the time you have as it passes, and you run the session. By doing so, not only does in break up some of the monotony, but it also allows for the rapport to be further developed that allows our relationship, treatment approach, and overall effectiveness have better opportunities to succeed and be seen. Again, a short and simple message today. Don’t get caught up in the routine. It’s easy to do – but makes for misery in the long run. Find something new to try each day, learn something new each day, teach something new each day, and be the best physical therapist you can be by doing these little things that not only make the patient’s experience better, but your day better (on the aggregate) as well. Until next time, Mike Working at a hospital based not-for profit organization, especially as a physical therapist, I have the opportunity to see diagnoses than range from minor to severe, functional to debilitating, and orthopedic to neurologically-based. Often times, all of these extremes are somehow mixed into one patient case, and it is difficult to reign in the information to know where to begin. However, the more and more I reflect on this issue, the easier it is for me to see the grand purpose behind our duty as a physical therapist. Yes, we want and are required through our licensure to do everything in our power to make a person function at the highest level possible. This task, however, can be a daunting responsibility due to confounding variables that we do not have much control over – some of which include patient population, patient pre-disposed attitudes, stage at which the patient is coming in at/point of rehabilitation, along with many other reasons. So, although our over-arching responsibility is to get people “better” – “better” has multiple meanings to different people. ‘Better’ to a patient may mean complete healing of pain; ‘better’ to the referring doctor/provider may mean just a trial of therapy to see if there any changes before further medical management is required; and ‘better’ to us as physical therapists means making the most progress towards functional measures and goals as possible.
No matter what definition of “better” we go by, the bottom line is progress. Insurance companies like to see functional progress. However, is functional progress always attainable – especially in regards to a specific diagnosis? Here’s an example: A patient, middle aged man, father of 3, suffering from the effects of an incomplete C5-C7 spinal cord injury was referred to skilled therapy for evaluation using the LOKOmat gait trainer. For those unfamiliar with the LOKOmat, it is a machine that is controlled through robotics simulating the normal gait cycle with a patient harnessed through body-weight support and with bilateral hydraulic-based extremities that are fit individually to envelop the patient’s lower extremities at the hip, knee, and ankle joint to guide the patient through the function-matched range of motion. Active ROM is not required for a patient to be a candidate for LOKOmat, as the motion is provided through the robotic extremities. However, the more activation a person does have and is able to utilize, the more benefit can come out of it through reducing guidance force, decreasing body weight support load, and increasing overall weight-bearing by lowering patient further towards the treadmill. So, long story short, my patient was able to benefit from the LOKOmat for 9 session – improving tolerance to gait speed (reaching maximum of 3.2 km/hr) and able to tolerate as much as almost 2,000 meters in his allotted time. However, when re-evaluated, the patient had made no functional changes – irregardless of his diagnosis of incomplete SCI – so it was not qualified as skilled PT treatment to further continue the use of LOKOmat training. My patient and I had a sit-down conversation about the extent of which was going on and it boiled down to this question – Even if functional gains are not being established, doesn’t a physiological benefit have any ground to stand on in the fight for continuing to classify a treatment as beneficial and skilled for the patient? There are so many situations like this that I have come across, and over a span of many diagnoses including Multiple Sclerosis, CVA, chronic pain, Parkinson’s disease, post-operative orthopedic diagnosis, etc., etc., this question can arise taking many different outlooks. Functional versus physiological? Even backed by research and science, the impact of technology and rehabilitation and the role in which they can play on personal outcomes – physiological benefits seem to take a back-seat in the discussion of continuing skilled PT services. This is a discussion that seems to be neglected at times; but it comes down to a situation in which the new generation of physical therapists are responsible for educating others around us, fighting for our patients in the way in which we document our findings, and promoting overall well-being of a patient that can have lasting benefits of their health – albeit functionally or in a different perspective and outlook. So, as we progress further, it’s important to focus on the little things – and to tailor treatments that promote function but also to never forget about physiological benefits. The physiological benefits in which standing and weight bearing can have on blood pressure and bone health, never mind improving quality of life. The physiological benefits that range of motion can have on pain and on overall comfort in positioning. The physiological benefits of patient education – passing down knowledge that can help our patients in all facets of life. So as we think towards the future, towards APTA’s Vision 2020, and towards our careers, let’s all think about the little things, and how these little things – functional or not – may have a big impact on our patients and the lives of people around us. Until next time, Mike Attention. It’s one of the few intangible principles of life that humans seek on a daily basis. Whether it’s physical, mental, or a little bit of both – people want to be seen as present. They want to be addressed and not feel invisible to others. Now, people seek for this is certain ways -
1. A selfish manner in which is egotistical, or 2. In an innocent way in which humans thrive off of. It is our duty as physical therapists to fill this vacancy for our patients – no matter how big or small their void for attention may be. Think back to PT school when your teacher would demonstrate a technique on you in front of the class – and how much of a difference you felt with someone who was confident with their techniques and displaying that confidence when carrying out the procedure. Sometimes, even if you did not have the back pain or the “impingement syndrome” you were being treated for as a mock patient, you felt better with just the touch of the hands. It’s a very simple thing – attention. And yet, some people refuse to give others the attention they deserve, whether it’s intentional or not. But something so simple, which can result in such astronomical benefits, is at times neglected because a therapist either chooses not to do manual therapy or does not believe in it. But, even at that, a pat on the back, or a “high-five”, can increase that patient rapport two fold in comparison to neglecting the personal connection. Scientifically, yes. This is seen to the cellular level in the human body. The benefits seem endless in accordance to the release of neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, with techniques such as deep pressure. Also, oxytocin is released into the blood stream which is another neurotransmitter that can be released upon the power of human touch. Even benefits involving blood pressure, with a carotid massage, have been proven. Although this may not directly relate to our scope of practice, it is incredible to see the benefits that our hands can relay to other humans that we interact with on a daily basis and how it is built on the foundation of such a basic principle. Today’s post is short and sweet. The power of touch can mean more than you think to a patient right in front of you. A simple hand shake, pat on the back, soft tissue mobilization or joint mob. can all have an impact on a patient in one way or another – when appropriate of course. Again, this is one of the little things we do as therapists that can have such a lasting impact on our patients and the way our patients view us and our profession. We are generally known for being the medical profession that spends the most time with our patients – two to three times a week for 30-60 minutes as compared to a doctor’s visit where they can maybe spend a half hour in the office, to speak with the doctor for 10 minutes before they rush to their next patient. We need to embrace this opportunity we have to learn from our patients, to listen, and to be the ones that bridge the gap from hurting to healthy – to the best that we can. If that is our mindset each day, then we are headed down the right path for our clinic, our profession, and most of all, our patients. Until next, Mike Ever evaluate a patient and at the end of the time, you just sit there feeling puzzled. Where do I start? What needs to be fixed? Why does it feel like everything is straying from “normal” for this person’s movement capabilities? Well, you’re not alone. It happens. My mentors from here at my first job, my clinical instructors from 3 very different clinics, as well as my classmates and colleagues have all told me these stories.
Lately, I have been reading a lot in Gray Cook and his foundation for movement and assessment of motor control of a person. I have experience using the Functional Movement Screening tool; however, I do not use it as often in my clinical setting now. Nevertheless, I use similar concepts and ideas behind Cook's premises in a comprehensive functional movement self-created assessment. I look at movements carried out in typical day to day movements that the patient endures. A few examples of this is squat pattern, sit to stand transfer, trunk rotations, double and single leg bridging technique with focus on quality over quantity, bed mobility assessment (including rolling, side-lying tolerance, and supine/side-lying to sit), and floor to stand technique when appropriate. These movements are basic and are performed with most people without thinking twice about it. However, incorporate pain or a dysfunction within the neuromuscular or musculoskeletal system and these movements become a lot more difficult. The movements listed above have an all-encompassing similarity – all focus on incorporating primitive movements with or without realizing it. Starting point – supine. This allows the central nervous system, and in turn, your patient, to feel fully supported. When a patient is able to feel 100% supported, chances are, relaxation is achieved which will help alleviate a heightened awareness to stimuli. Incorporation of supine to side-lying comes next, which results in rotation of the trunk and acts as a natural “wringing” out of the spine, which feels good for patients – again, when appropriate. Lying to sitting enables a person to pursue trunk strength and anti-gravity movements – using part-task strategies to facilitate simultaneous momentum for lower extremities and concentric contraction of elbow extensors to right oneself to upright. While still on the mat, incorporating movements such as kneeling, half-kneeling, or quadruped allow for increased trunk control, shoulder and hip girdle stability, and core control. By incorporating PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) techniques, the patient is able to not only obtain the position, but maintain and stabilize against resistance with facilitation of correct muscle groups. Progressing through, the patient is able to go from sit to stand. Assessment of movement during this specific action is typically required as there are multiple variations that may lead to pain elsewhere with improper technique. When standing, even with difficulty balancing, modified plantargrade allows for a patient to obtain diagonal patterns, commonly seen in quadruped, with less concentration on shoulder and hip stabilizers, but more control seen through getting accustomed to pattern, learning reciprocal movement pattern, and transferring weight through surfaces without the force of gravity playing a factor on 100% on the activity. All in all, there is a place to start. No matter how basic or no matter the diagnosis. The patient is able to be taken back to these primitive positions in order to learn controlled/dynamic mobility through re-introducing themselves to mobility with an already heightened since of stability – or vice versa. If we take the time to realize how patients move, assess their normal patterns, and build off of what goes into their everyday approach to movement– there are certainly ways to address these impairments. Similar to my post from a few weeks ago, these “dysfunctional” patterns may be present in almost everybody in their unique way, shape or form. But, we must use our professional assessment and address these dysfunctions that are interrupting their daily movement patterns. Even though a patient may test 5/5 across a gross lower extremity manual muscle test screening, the way in which the patient may use these muscles in a functional manner may not be graded as “Normal”. We must take the time to address, simplify, and owe it to our patients to look past the superficial strength grades or traditional range of motion. We must know what to take to heart and what to take with a grain of salt. After all, it is our duty to assess our patient with integrity, with care, and do everything in our power to focus on the little things in order to restore deficits that, on a small or big scale, impact the way in which movement is taken for granted. These little things, and knowing where we can go with even the simplest of patterns, is what makes our profession so special. We are able to take the little things (whether at a high level or low level) and allow our patients to appreciate the big things that come of it. Thanks to all for reading, Mike A few weeks ago, the great Shaquille O'Neill was inducted into the basketball Hall of fame in Springfield, MA. This accomplishment, like all of those who are inducted into any hall of fame, was very well deserved after a remarkable basketball career. On such a big weekend, after such a big career, for a very big man, there was a little thing that stood out to the Springfield College community.
Before the big event for Shaq, he made a stop at Springfield College and was a keynote speaker at a leadership luncheon. During that speech, Shaq talked not about his basketball career, but about another aspect of his career that many may not know about. Shaq has earned his bachelor, master's, and doctoral degree, and he was proud to express the value of his education. He also mentioned that he is thinking about going to Law school. During the speech, Shaq told a story about how he became a business man, because he was sick of companies talking to his agent instead of himself during business meetings. He wanted to earn the respect and understand the negotiations and plans for himself. In addition, being educated at every level contributed to his performance on the court. "I became a great player, not by practicing or doing drills, but by listening". There were flags of little things popping up all over this speech. First of all, think about this from a physical therapy standpoint. For most of us, we weren't playing professional basketball when we earned our degree. But the act of completing PT school was only an aspect of our lives, not all of it. We still had our families, our passions, and our hobbies to remind us about who we are and where we came from. Shaq mentioned that earning his degree was the hardest thing he's ever done. I'll bet a large number of physical therapists would say that becoming a PT was one of the hardest things they've ever done as well. So why did we do it? Because education is one of the most valuable things we have as far as opportunities go. It brought us to where we are now, from the time we were little. And the best part is, it doesn't end here. Someone like Shaquille O'Neill, who could easily "settle" for a 19 year career in the NBA, decided to appreciate the value of education, and go the extra mile. Although he is retired from basketball, he still has the opportunity to pursue other forms of passion in the form of education. Although we have finished our schooling to be PT's we still have the opportunity to focus our passion in the realm of physical therapy toward continuing education. Shaq said it himself..."If I can do it, you can do it". Even amongst his resume of higher level education, Shaq finds room for the little things. As a man who has been a professional basketball player, actor, rapper, police officer, business man, and investor, he recognizes the little things. "Education is something that you can learn every day". I've mentioned it before and I'll say it again. Active listening is one of the strongest tools that anyone can utilize. Look for the opportunities to learn every day, value the education that you've had the privilege to experience, and look forward to educational opportunities, big and small, that are in your individual future. - Brian |
MiCHAEL McGowan, PT, DPT
|