Time for my secret: I am a Buffalo Bills fan. Born there, met OJ Simpson when he was a rookie, and have followed them ever since. I follow no sports except the Bills. My wife can’t figure it out, why stick with a team that nearly always loses? I try to tell her that they made it to the Super Bowl four years in a row. But they lost four years in a row. Every season starts with hope, but the first game of each season begins a cycle that is not unexpected.
I was thinking of this this morning, as I read the write up on their loss yesterday in the paper, and how it compares to therapy. Most patients respond quickly to Myofascial Release and their outcomes are great. Others take much longer than I think they should. Slow progress is often troubling to me, as I think all should respond in a similar fashion.
A client this morning reinforced this, as this person was not responding as quickly as I had hoped. I voiced my concern and she assured me that there was definite progress and she was quite pleased. It was my impatience that was the issue. I’ve worked in this field long enough to know that I can’t predict how a person will respond, but I still get impatient when someone does not. My stuff, not theirs.
Maybe this need for patience should carryover into my football viewing, but it gets tough.
How do you react to patients that are slow to respond?
Walt Fritz, PT
I too get impatient with slow progress, or my perception of the progress. All too often the client wants the quick fix, only to find out that it takes awhile to “peel the onion” some times. Time is relative (Einstein) and I have to remind myself that there are often other factors unseen that impact the work I do.
As I also do TCM and Applied Kinesiology, I sometime change it up, for a session, and surprisingly that jump-starts the process again. I remain open and dynamic and try not to expect a certain outcome. I let the client (consciously or unconsciously) tell me where to go, and how fast to go there.
The desire to help, relieve, etc. rapidly, is a powerful force though 😉
I have the luxury of practicing with four other practioners (chiropractic, acupuncture & LMT), so I sometimes refer, or ask for ideas and enjoy their support, even when they just remind me that all we can do is our best. I am confident that you too Walt, are doing your best.
Our holding patterns, in terms of causes, are all unique. It usually takes people quite a while to understand that their soul is connected to this and that their needs to be progress in both areas. Sometimes articles can help people understand this.
Thanks for both of your responses. The whole process of someone discovering who they are and what brought them to this place, be it my treatment facility or the larger place, has always intrigued me. This blog post was less about self doubt than just of wondering.
What brings someone to me (putting aside the obvious)? Some come with awareness and others come blind. But even the aware have much to learn about themselves, if they can quiet and listen. Not to be judgmental that those who are unaware are somehow less evolved or “ready”. That term “ready” always bugged me, as if they don’t “go for it” they simply were not ready. I know I am a part of their readiness, it is just finding the right trigger to get them there.