Today in PT

A Purpose-driven Life

I don’t know about you, but one of the aspects of providing PT that I enjoy the most is knowing that I am doing something that can make a big difference in someone’s life. It’s also fascinating to discover how differently each person’s body responds to the same treatment technique, and intriguing to learn what motivates people during the recovery process. So I ask myself, how can I adapt my knowledge to best help each individual? What can I do to get through to someone who is depressed about a fresh injury or chronic lack of mobility? How will the parameters of PT practice change in the face of healthcare reform, and what can I do to maximize my patients’ ability to receive the care they need in the potential chaos ahead?

These are the thoughts that drive me forward … but what drives you? What are your thoughts on the reasons we do what we do as therapists? What is your take on healthcare reform? How are you new grads feeling as you become more familiar with the ins and outs of your caseloads, and how are you seasoned therapists holding up to the work at hand?

Let me know what’s on your mind — as an avid student of human nature, I’m always interested in understanding what makes you tick.

Anne Ahlman, MPT

Caring About Apathy

During treatment this morning, my first patient of the day exclaimed in wondering tones, “I don’t even care much about food anymore! But I can’t explain why …” As soon as she said it, it struck me that apathy, or a state of indifference, can manifest as the loss of interest in things that normally give a person pleasure. This finding is important to take note of, as it is one of the signs of depression.

But how could someone feel this way, especially about food? In my patient’s case, she has good reason to feel depressed: I am seeing her for thumb CMC joint arthritis and a DeQuervain’s tenosynovitis flare, in anticipation of her upcoming total knee replacement surgery -- she’s going to need a fully functioning upper extremity in order to successfully use a walker post-op. Of course, her thumb and wrist hurts when she tries to prepare meals, as do her knees (the other one needs replacing too) when she stands for any length of time in the kitchen. So how could she not associate food with pain?

Therapists are like Sherlock Holmes in that they have to try to figure out cause and effect, factors that aggravate and ease symptoms, and all of the myriad daily stresses on the physical system in order to help make things better. But symptoms aren’t always physical, and to be fully helpful we need to keep an actively listening ear.

Depression can be linked to grief over the loss of a way of life; of living with chronic pain; and of feeling apathetic. And it’s an important symptom to address, since unrelieved depression can increase cardiovascular risk and worsen disease progression.

How are your patients feeling?

Anne Ahlman, MPT

 

Busman's Holiday

Being a PT can sometimes be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, we enter the profession because we love to help other people in a meaningful way, but on the other hand, many times as soon as people find out we’re PTs, they immediately regale us with long-winded stories of old injuries or pepper us with questions about treatment. And then there are the people who contact us only when they want free advice and services …

I find that although it’s tempting to simply hand someone a business card and change the subject when they pounce upon me socially, it’s not always so easy, especially when it’s a family member! But sometimes I’m just tired and would prefer to rest during those rare moments called “free time.”

How do you handle demands for your professional services when you’re away from your workplace? Do you smilingly tell people, “… Then, don’t do that!” when they say, “It hurts when I do this …”?  Or, do you simply comment, “You know where I work; why don’t you make an appointment?”

What do you do?

Anne Ahlman, MPT

Documentation Drama

I’ve never had a beautiful handwriting style that might be confused with calligraphy, but lately I’ve noticed how much worse it seems to be getting. Oh, sure, for a while I blamed it on being in a hurry while madly documenting the day’s events before rushing off to my next job, but now I realize that my handwriting is deteriorating because of changes in my vision.

It’s a sad but true fact of aging that over time, most of us will need reading glasses not only to see to read a menu or label, but also to see to write clearly. But what do you do with your glasses when you’re treating patients? If I leave them in my coat pocket, they fall out or get crushed against the treatment table. If I leave them at the desk, they get knocked to the floor or pushed behind a stack of charts where I can’t find them when I need them. If I wear them around my neck, I feel like an idiot.

What do you do with your reading glasses when you treat?

Anne Ahlman, MPT

Proudly Independent

I have long been conflicted about celebrating the July 4th holiday, given the fact that I am half-British. But I am proud of this country and the opportunities it offers to people from all countries and walks of life, so I fly my American flag high to honor all those who have fought — and those who are still fighting— to preserve the freedoms we enjoy.

There are probably as many different ways to celebrate American independence as there are people throughout the nation, and so many choices of things to do. Many of you may decide to stay home and take a much-needed day off to spend with family, while others seek out a more public display that includes fireworks, flags, and fun. Some of you might instead choose to start a new tradition by attending an event in which you more directly honor our veterans. One such upcoming event is the National Veterans Wheelchair Games in Spokane, Wash., in which our military veterans of Iraq, Afghanistan, and other conflicts who have conquered their post-war disabilities rigorously compete against each other in 17 different sports. The Games provides a great opportunity for cheering, patriotism, and flag-waving guaranteed to warm the heart and inspire the mind.

For those of us not able to attend such an event, July 4th still serves as a reminder of the richness of our lives. PTs and PTAs are passionate about working to help people gain more independence over their disabilities, so whether you thank a veteran, host a barbeque, or make a donation to a worthy cause such as the Wounded Warrior Project, Operation Family Fund, or your local VA hospital, get out there and do something to celebrate independence!

What are your plans?

Anne Ahlman, MPT