By: Leah K. Dearman, PT

It may be the very last thing you expect, but someday you might become one of the millions of people who participate in a physical rehabilitation program each year. If you’ve experienced chronic back pain, a fall or sports injury, a stroke, heart disease or even cancer, physical rehabilitation also called physical therapy or rehab may be just what you need to regain your strength, your mobility and get back to a normal life.

Whether you’re a nine-year old gymnast bound for the Olympics who needs to tend to an overworked muscle, or an 80 year-old [gentleman] who is recovering from his second knee replacement surgery, your physician may prescribe several weeks of treatment under the guidance of a licensed physical therapist (PT) to get you back on your feet. The focal point of any program is physical exercise, but to get the most out of therapy, you also have to open up to new relationships with your body, your emotions, your friends and family, and your PT.

Like any challenging situation, the head and the heart play a tremendous role in rehabilitation. In my 24 years as a PT I’ve found that even patients who get through surgery with ease are often anxious and fearful about what rehabilitation may hold. As the rehabilitation services manager for the internationally known National Training Center, I get to experience the pleasure and the excitement of helping people face these fears and succeed beyond their expectations each day. I am always inspired by the resilience of the human spirit as I help our clients become partners in their rehabilitation and discover their bodies’ hidden strengths. Here’s my advice on excelling at PT:

Get to know your body. Most people begin physical therapy without a clue about how the body heals. The PT’s job is to help you understand that process so that you can fully grasp the task you have ahead of you.

You may want to ask your PT, for instance, what’s the inner working of my knee, hip, or muscle tissue? Or, what must happen for me to regain the strength on my left or right side? Once you understand the focus of your therapy, it’s easier to concentrate on certain parts of your body and learn your exercises.

Set your goals. Your PT will also need to ask you a range of questions about your health, lifestyle and what you hope to gain from rehabilitation. This is no time to be shy or hold back. If you really miss your yoga classes, tell your PT that going back to yoga twice a week is one of your personal goals. Think of your PT as a good friend with your best interests at heart and make sure they get to know you well enough to really help you return to the life you love.

They, in turn, will be honest about the level of commitment needed from you to meet your goals. For a knee injury, I might start a patient off walking in weeks one and two. Then in weeks three and four we will run. By weeks five and six, we’ll try a bike ride. In some instances I may explain to a patient that they need to achieve 45 degrees of motion in a jointa move that may cause some degree of pain–so that the scar tissue doesn’t solidify, rather just asking them to tough it out without an explanation. Your PT should always be willing to answer any questions you may have about possible pain or other complications. Never be afraid to ask about just what to expect or why you have to endure discomfort to get the job done.

Stay the course. I’ve seen people face all types of challenges in therapy: the basketball player trying to get his jump shot back after a major knee injury; the elderly patient struggling to regain strength and agility after a heart attack; the young mother trying to heal a back injury so that she can return to her growing family. The patients who do the best have one thing in commona fierce drive to get better. I often watch as patients martial an amazing combination of faith, patience, and tenacity to fight their way back to good health. To succeed at PT, you have to decide that you have the will and the strength to recover, no matter how tough it may seem.

Communicate. Talk to your PT, your physician and the people in your personal support network. Your therapist should be at the center of a circle of communication that includes your PT’s daily talks with your physician, frequent contact with any friends or family members who are assisting in your care, as well as any feedback you may want or need on your progress.

If you find you are unable to handle the emotional demands of PT, your therapist can also arrange counseling or a consultation with a psychologist. Building a strong support network to lean on should give you more energy to focus on getting better.

Connect. The human spirit can overcome tremendous barriers once it receives the right type of support, but sometimes the people closest to the patient do more harm than good. I’ve had young patients, for example, with overly protective parents who felt they should do all the talking. In those cases, the young patient never gets to speak for themselves. Gradually the patient becomes frustrated and disconnected from the healing process.

With adults, spouses may become tense because of the effects of an illness. I remember a recent case in which the husband had suffered a stroke that affected his speech. He could only express himself very slowly. His wife became impatient and began interrupting him to finish his sentences. After a while, they were both frustrated and unable to communicate effectively with me or each other. If you find yourself struggling to get your point across in PT, ask your therapist to intervene on your behalf and try to gently and tactfully resolve the problem. The patient always does better when everyone can work together.

Lean on your loved ones. Patients who work through their therapy with the help of a supportive friend or family member tend to heal faster, so try not to go it alone. To heal you have to do more than just build muscle and mend bone. You must let go of anger, stress, and frustration so that your mind and body can recover fully. Opening your heart to receive the support and encouragement around you is just as important as achieving your physical goals.

Leah K. Dearman, PT, MS, is the rehabilitation services manager for the National Training Center in Clermont, Florida