Establishing goals for whichever purpose that you may have in life gives you both long-term vision and motivation. It helps you organize your resources and your time and leverage your skills in order to succeed in your endeavor. The same thing holds true in any physical therapy treatment.
You need to set goals with your physical therapist to direct rehabilitation interventions towards your desired outcome—which is a successful recovery. Doing so also helps you ascertain that you and your provider are working together towards a common goal and that you are not missing anything important. Goals are a barometer of the success of your treatment.
The bottom-line question now is— how do you set appropriate goals to ensure a successful physical therapy treatment? Here are some tips to guide you:
1.) Get the advice/opinion of your healthcare provider.
Before you start formulating any goals, you should speak with your doctor and/or your physical therapist. It would make sense to ask about what the long-term outlook is. For instance, you need to ask if it’s possible for you to regain full function.
It will be in your best interest to discuss with your providers how long they project you to be in physical therapy, so you can set reasonable expectations for yourself. Discuss what they think are realistic short and long-term goals for you.
2.) Create specific, measurable goals.
One thing to consider when setting goals during your treatment is to make them quantifiable. This way, you can reflect on and determine your progress—whether you’re headed in the right direction— and how long it’s taking. When you have a specific goal, you’ll be more driven to keep working towards accomplishing it.
3.) Make sure you and your physical therapist are on the same page.
It’s one thing to have goals; it’s another to put them across. Communicating what you hope to achieve greatly helps your physical therapist design a treatment plan and exercise program, which are perfectly aligned with your goals and conducive to a successful outcome.
For instance, you may have this goal of going back to work after three months, so make sure you let your physical therapist know. This gives your physical therapist a specific timeframe to strive to achieve with you.
4.) Break down your goals into small, actionable steps.
While it’s beneficial to have the long-term goal of a full or near-full recovery, you should also consider setting small, actionable goals.
For instance, you may contemplate walking a certain distance the next month, then the following month, you may want to double that distance. By the time you reach your full recovery, you will have already covered a full distance, like before you sustained your injury or had your condition.
5.) Reevaluate your goals every now and then.
Reevaluate your goals throughout the process. You may notice you’ve accomplished more than you initially thought you would. On the other hand, you may also be reaching your goals slower than anticipated, which is okay.
Take the time to assess your current timeline, and add, subtract, and modify your goals based on your progress.
Also, remember to touch base with your doctor and ask if your goals are still relevant and feasible.
First-Rate Physical Therapy Services in Township, MI
At Movement Orthopedics, quality-based care is a hallmark of our physical therapy services. Our qualified, extensively trained physical therapists will collaborate with our board-certified orthopedic doctors to devise a treatment plan that best suits your unique situation, goals, and lifestyle. We will be with you every step of the way—until we hear your success story!
For more details about our physical therapy services or to schedule an appointment with any of our physical therapists, call us at (586) 436-3785 or fill out this convenient appointment request form. We look forward to helping you pave the road to a successful recovery!
