If only everything in life could be linear. How awesome would that be? Everything just gradually increases positively and things are always improving. Your stocks consistently rise. The weight on the scale constantly goes down. The weights in the gym consistently go up. Wow, what a dream!
Is that reality though? Unfortunately, it is not. What is typically true though is with consistent efforts, things will gradually increase or get better, but in a non-linear fashion. 9/10 people would most likely agree that life has its ups and downs. Some have more ups and some have more downs than others. It's our job to help our patients understand that whether up or down, with consistent effort they will continue to grow and get better.
In our office, we always ask our patients what their expectations are, how long they expect things to take, and most importantly, why they have those thoughts. It's our duty to relay the best available information in that moment to them to help them understand whether their expectations are a reality or not. Without this effort, disappointment awaits. If we never have this discussion, the likelihood that someone is disappointed increases. We want to avoid that at all costs.
When we discuss expectations and goals, patients will commonly be taken back by the reality of certain timeliness. For example, an ACL repair will take a year, but they want to be back in 6 months. A chronic low back pain patient who has had pain for 10 years wants to be pain-free in 2 visits. The reality is it's completely different for everyone and timelines are estimates, not permanence.
There are so many factors that play a part in healing, pain-relief, and injury rehab. What we try and relay to our patients is that just because something is not linear does not mean it is not beneficial. Sure, we'd love to constantly progress in every way, every visit, but that's not the case.
Personally, setbacks and flare-ups can be beneficial to the patient. Why? Because it's a slap in the face. The setback is a lesson. It's an opportunity to learn. You stopped doing your recommended exercises because you felt better, but then your pain came back. What did you learn? Be consistent as you were asked to. Your knee pain came back after running 3 miles even though you were advised to run 1 mile only. What did you learn? Trust the process, and understand that we are giving you this advice based on the best clinical information.
The non-linear component of healing is part of the process. It is entirely expected. It's important to have this mindset shift because not if, but WHEN a setback or flare-up occurs, you are ready for it. Your expectation is that it will occur and you are prepared. You understand you are on a journey to being pain-free and the map has some roadblocks.
Look, some may not like this idea, but if there is anything that we are described as as clinicians and humans is that we are honest and genuine. We have zero interest in leading people down a bad path or buttering up their biscuits to make them believe a false reality.
You need people who will be brutally honest, hold you accountable, and put in extra effort to get you to where you want to be. Not everyone wants that. But for those of you that do, we are the doctors for you. We are the guides you need to help get you to where you want to be and understand what comes with going from where you are now to where you will be in the future.
It's time to invest in yourself and those who will care about you more than you could imagine. Schedule your FREE discovery visit today at strengthchiro.com. Learn how the path you are on is not a straight line, but a windy road that you will be preperraed for all the roadblocks, twists, and turns ahead.
