MOMENTUM PHYSICAL THERAPY OF NEW PALTZ
  • Home
  • About
    • Greg's Philosophy & Bio
    • Top 10 Reasons To See Greg
    • Is Momentum PT Right For You?
  • Insurance
    • How To Find Out Your Benefits
  • Success Stories
    • Submit Your Story
  • Services
    • Physical Therapy >
      • Running Related Injuries
      • Sports & Performance Injuries
      • Orthopedic Rehabilitation
      • Post-Operative Rehabilitation
      • Persistent/Chronic Pain
      • BPPV (Vertigo)
    • Injury Prevention & Wellness
    • Running Analysis
    • Pre-Race Prep/Post-Race Recovery
    • House Calls & In Home Consultation
    • Workshops/Speaking
  • Resources
    • Forms
    • FAQ
    • Dynamite Resources
  • Video Library
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • 1% For The Planet
(845) 419-1432

With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility

1/14/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
The more I practice as a physical therapist and work with all kinds of different people, the more I realize how important and powerful words are.  About a month ago, I was reminded of this when I was working with a young man who has had a wide range of persistent pain and physical limitations for many years that have significantly changed his life for the worse.  It even got to the point where he had to quit a job after one day of work.

Everything began when he was in high school and had surgery on his feet.  Since then there has been a cascade of events and misinformation that has landed him where he is today.  He sought help from a number of different practitioners over this time but one of the episodes stands out.  At one point a comment was made about his feet and how they were forever changed due to the surgeries.  His "foundation" was permanently altered and he would have to make changes in his lifestyle.  Fast forward to now and these words have been in his head for a long time influencing his life in ways that the practitioner probably never expected.  For example, he wasn't sure if he could or should run even though he wanted to.

Now I am sure there was no intent by the practitioner to create this kind of reaction but it is a perfect illustration of what words can do and the power that we, as healthcare providers, can wield.  Voltaire famously said, (or Uncle Ben from Spiderman if you prefer), "With great power comes great responsibility," and I am completely convinced of this as a physical therapist.  When a client enters my office, there is an expectation that I am an expert in my field and have answers to his/her questions.  My words have weight and meaning, and because of this, can be extremely influential both positively or negatively.  I do not take that idea lightly and for that reason, I do my best to choose my words very carefully in order to have the best outcomes possible.  Ultimately, my goal is to dispel fears and myths and use language and education as another powerful tool to help my clients reach their goals.

As the consumer, you have the power to ask questions and understand the reasoning behind what myself or any other healthcare practitioner is saying.  (To be clear, I am obviously not talking about emergency situations.)  It is important to ask 'why' if something does not make sense.  It is healthy to have some skepticism to protect yourself when you hear or read something that does not make sense, rubs you the wrong way or is flat out wrong.  That is the beauty of the second opinion.  You can choose what the right fit is for you based on a number of factors, words and language being one of them.

Whether I was the second, third or fourth opinion, I am glad that this young man was able to find me and finally get help, advice and guidance that has reversed some of the negative consequences already.  The situation was a great reminder and learning tool for me and I hope it will be useful for you as well.

Knowledge = Power; Share The Power:
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed

    Dr. Greg Cecere

    Your personal physical therapist, movement educator and knowledge dispenser.


    Newsletter Sign Up
    Enter your name and email to get Momentum PT's Movement Manual delivered straight to your inbox!  It's your free monthly newsletter and guide to moving better, feeling better and living better!
    * indicates required

    Archives

    April 2017
    November 2016
    April 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013

    Categories

    All
    Addiction
    Arm Swing
    Attitude
    Brain
    Bridge 2 Bridge 5 Miler
    Cadence
    Calories
    Cardiovascular Disease
    Chronic Pain
    Dark Chocolate
    Depression
    Diabetes
    Disease
    Energy Expenditure
    Epicatechin
    Fitness
    Foot Slap
    Foot Strike
    Golf
    Half Marathon
    Health
    IASTM
    Injury
    Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization
    Josh Feldt/After The Leaves Have Fallen 20k
    Knee Pain
    Lacrosse Ball
    Low Back
    Lumbar
    Lumbosacral
    Lyme Disease
    Manual Therapy
    Metabolism
    Mind Games
    Mindset
    Minnewaska State Park
    Mobility
    Mohonk
    Mohonk Preserve
    Mortality
    Movement
    New Paltz
    New Paltz Turkey Trot
    Nutrition
    Obesity
    Pain
    Patellofemoral-pain-syndrome
    Performance Enhancement
    Persistent Pain
    Pfps
    Physical Activity
    Physical Therapist
    Physical Therapy
    Positioning
    Positivity
    Posture
    Practice
    Race
    Receptors
    Rehabilitation
    Runner's Knee
    Running
    Running Shoes
    Shawangunk Mountains
    Shawangunk Runners
    Sitting
    Skepticism
    Soft Tissue Mobilization
    S.O.S.
    Sound
    Spine
    Standing
    Stride
    Technique
    The Edge
    Training
    Triathlon
    Walking
    Winter

    Disclaimer:
    The contents of this blog is meant for educational purposes only.  Momentum Physical Therapy of New Paltz and Dr. Greg Cecere are not responsible for any harm or injury that may occur due to any information on this blog as it is by no means a substitute for a thorough evaluation by a medical professional.
Home      About      Insurance      Success Stories     Services      Resources      Video Library      Blog     Contact
Momentum Physical Therapy of New Paltz, PLLC.  Copyright ©  2013-2023.  All Rights Reserved.

Disclaimer: The contents of this site is meant for educational purposes only and utilization of any of the material is a personal choice.  Momentum Physical Therapy of New Paltz and Dr. Greg Cecere are not responsible for any harm or injury that may occur due to those choices.  This site is by no means a substitute for a thorough evaluation and guidance by a licensed medical professional.
Picture
  • Home
  • About
    • Greg's Philosophy & Bio
    • Top 10 Reasons To See Greg
    • Is Momentum PT Right For You?
  • Insurance
    • How To Find Out Your Benefits
  • Success Stories
    • Submit Your Story
  • Services
    • Physical Therapy >
      • Running Related Injuries
      • Sports & Performance Injuries
      • Orthopedic Rehabilitation
      • Post-Operative Rehabilitation
      • Persistent/Chronic Pain
      • BPPV (Vertigo)
    • Injury Prevention & Wellness
    • Running Analysis
    • Pre-Race Prep/Post-Race Recovery
    • House Calls & In Home Consultation
    • Workshops/Speaking
  • Resources
    • Forms
    • FAQ
    • Dynamite Resources
  • Video Library
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • 1% For The Planet