Setting Goals in Physical Therapy
For a successful physical therapy outcome, there should be goals set per patient. Before starting with the treatment program developed by the therapist, the patient should be able to know what he wants to accomplish at the end of the program. The rehabilitation program is tailored to suit the capabilities and needs of the patient with his goals in consideration. To set goals, the patient should sit down with the therapist and discuss the matter in detail.
Certain patients have goals that are attainable, while others do not. These patients cannot be blamed for wanting to regain movement and restore functions in the way they see it. But what the therapist has to do is bring them down to the level of setting goals that are realistic because if not, disappointment is bound to be felt because the desired outcome is not met. Both the patient and the physical therapist have to be well informed and understand the expectations of each. Having this mutual understanding can greatly help both of them achieve the goals.
There are two types of goals that should be set. The long-term goal is what the patient wants to achieve at the end of the therapy. The short-term goals are those small targets in order to reach that long-term goal. As an example, the long-term goal is to be able to walk 200 feet without a device such as a crutch, cane, or walker. The short-term goals can be to be able to walk 200 feet with the use of a device then another to be able to walk 100 feet without the use of a device.
The therapist will be the one to determine the timeframe for achieving these goals. He has gained enough knowledge to know if these targets are attainable given his initial examination of the patient. One patient is different from another in a lot of ways; hence, it should be expected that the timeframe set for one is not the same as the timeframe set for another. The progress that the patient makes during the rehabilitation program is also one of the factors that will dictate how much time he has to undergo therapy.
In order to assure progress, it is recommended to set rewards for every short-term goal achieved so that motivation will not be lost as the journey to the end goal is still in progress. This can be in the form of eating a certain favorite food, watching a movie, dining in a favorite restaurant, and so on. Involving loved ones in the process of rewarding oneself can be a fulfilling experience. The more they will see the determination and the more they will offer support.
There may be times of frustration and impatience throughout the rehabilitation program, and these are the times that the patient will need the help and support of their loved ones. He needs to feel that extra push to go the extra mile in achieving his short-term goals. He needs to do things step by step.
Physical therapy may be deemed by some people as an easy thing to undergo while some finds it utterly difficult and even painstaking. Different people. Different situations. But however a patient takes the rehabilitation program, he still has to focus and muster strength to continue and push himself until the end of the therapy.
