Let me let you in on a little secret. PT doesn’t always “work” if you’re not caring for your system as a whole, especially if you’re coming in for chronic pain. Your PT should be discussing these factors with you as well.

Here are some of the general habits I discuss with my patients:

Sleep:

Generally we need 7-9 hours for proper recovery. If you’re coming into my office and you’re someone without significant diagnoses like insomnia, or you aren’t a new mom, work night shift, etc, we’re going to try and get you back to that goal.

If you’re a new mom, my goal is to get you to 2, 2-3 hr chunks of sleep at a minimum before we start pushing your workouts.

If you’re dealing with another diagnosis that effects your sleep, we’re going to talk about your night time habits and routines. We’re then going to figure out a few steps to give you some night time consistency (and yes we’ll probably discuss not having your phone in your bedroom).

Nutrition:

Again, speaking generally, I need to check in that you’re eating regularly and enough to fuel your desired exercise goals. I don’t know everything about nutrition, but I know enough when to make some general suggestions and when to refer to a professional.

If you’re seeing me for GI concerns, we are definitely going to discuss your fiber intake and you may also fill out a bowel diary so that I can have a better handle on what specifically is going on.

Mental health:

Mental and physical health are so deeply connected. Often changes in our physical health that seem to come out of nowhere are related to a traumatic event or a big life change. Identifying that can help encourage you on the path to counseling.

The other element of my job is to act as a guide, an encourager, and a supporter. You are not alone on this journey.

Current Exercise habits:

Most often, issues come along when we are either doing too much or too little. Sometimes PT workouts are simple and that is OK, as long as they’re still challenging and you’re noticing a difference in your symptoms.

Analyzing all of these elements together can make a significant difference in your recovery.

Proper recovery = Desired outcomes.

-Naomi