Strive to be a PT

This blog is a resource for anyone wanting to be successful as a PT. Just because you made it through school and have the education to do doesn’t mean you know everything to be successful. I’m betting they don’t teach you how to make your patients happy or how to juggle the paper work. This is what I like about it, because it seems to be a great resource to help me learn things I may not learn anywhere else.

What I don’t like about it is partly on me. I have an old computer and it’s a struggle for it to load each page. The blog uses a format that loads several articles side by side, it looks good, but I think this is what my computer is struggling with.

Obtained from http://imgur.com/DNLIVcc 

One interesting article is about how to deal with a bad review on your PT clinic. It gives the following list of steps; don’t overreact, read it again-with feeling, merit check, and respond. Basically, empathizes with the person and try to figure out if your clinic does have a problem that needs to be address, and of course let them know you heard them.

I know nothing about how to respond to negative reviews, didn’t even know there would be reviews to worry about. So I find this article very educational and I will take it to heart, but it that I learned there are more elements to be aware of as a PT and in its information.

Link to article: http://blog.strivelabs.com/2014/12/18/clinic-got-a-negative-review/

Link to Blog: http://blog.strivelabs.com/

Here is an article that gives similar advice to businesses: http://sproutsocial.com/insights/how-to-handle-negative-online-reviews-of-your-business/

Just Plain Physical Therapy

Obtained from www.ppta.org

This blog is a down and dirty simple physical therapy blog. The authors give advice to avoid injury and provide exercise treatments for basic injuries. I both like and dislike this part of the blog. On one hand it’s great for the non PT educated crowd and on the other I’m working toward being a PT and it’s too simple. I find that I already know much of the information in the articles.

One article is titled “Steps for Injury Prevention This Holiday Season” and it gives the follow four pieces of advice; start slowly, pay attention to twinges, know when to back off, and give yourself time to recover. The author talks about people wanting to start a new workout plan or simply start working out in general after the holidays, some of them don’t know how to do it correctly, which can result in injury.

 I agree with the advice, but I feel that there is more advise to be given. Advice such as; learn how to properly do the exercise. I cannot stress enough the importance of a personal trainer especially when you don’t know what you are doing. The next is warm up dynamically, to put it simply, practice the motions before your workout. It warms up your muscles and prepares them for what’s ahead.

Link to the article: http://www.eastpointehealthandfitness.com/ephf-physical-therapy-blog/bid/100481/Steps-for-Injury-Prevention-this-Holiday-Season

Link to the blog: http://www.eastpointehealthandfitness.com/physical-therapy-blog

More injury prevention tips: https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/news-features-and-safety-tips/pages/sports-injury-prevention-tip-sheet.aspx

Communication from PT to Patient

This blog (In Touch PT) is written by an expert Physical Therapist, Harrison Vaughan, who talks about a wide range of subjects in the PT field. However, he seems to focus on treating patients without “quick fixes” such as surgery or shots. This is one of the things I like most about this blog, in addition to his down to earth more “human” language in posting geared toward a wider audience. Anyone, PT or not can fully understand no matter what level of education they are at. His case studies are not this way, but they are also geared toward other practicing PTs.

What I don’t like are some of the interviews with other experts that he includes. Interviews include at lot of “side language” or fillers between the information that you’re really looking for. This “side language” hides the relevant information and takes more time to read.

Obtained from hopeforteens.org

One particular article addresses communication within the PT field. It’s an interview between the blog author Harrison Vaughan and the author of the book “The Best Therapy Practice” John Vacovec. John talks about the problem with PTs telling their patients to go a physician because they like they have a rotator cuff tear, for example. They patient will then go to the physician already thinking they know more than the physician. He talks about the issues with this and the lack of fellowship between therapist and physician because of it. I believe this is something to be concerned about, and keep in mind when talking to a patient in my future.

Link to the article: https://intouchpt.wordpress.com/2016/02/17/the-best-therapy-experience/

Link to the blog: https://intouchpt.wordpress.com/about-2/

Outside link about what a PT can or cannot diagnose: http://www.interfysio.com/blog/physicians-medical-diagnosis-versus-physical-therapists-diagnosis/