We care!! But you already knew that. In today’s post I’d like to show you the thought process that goes on, inside the head of a PhysioPRO physiotherapist, during assessment and treatment. As with anything in life, it’s always good to have some system in place, and often the more simple the system the more effective it becomes.
During our studies we were introduced to the SOAP format to give some logical order to our notes. So today let me walk you through this acronym and you will better understand what happens behind the scenes during your physio visit.
S – Subjective : This pertains to YOU!! The client. We want to know you. We want to know how you hurt yourself, how you’re coping with it and how it impacted your life. We want to know your hobbies and where you work. The subjective will continue throughout the treatment as details are important and the more we know the better we can treat you as a whole.
O – Objective : During this part of the session you might be asked to undress if necessary. Your physio will start by examining the area, noting symptoms like swelling, redness or any abnormal structure. Next they will use their hands to palpate (feel) all structures involved to pinpoint and assist with the diagnosis. Last, you will be asked to move so we can see the extent of the injury. Range of motion also serves as a good measure to see if treatment is successful.
A – Assessment/Treatment : Here the physio lists what he thinks might be going wrong inside your body. From the information gathered during the subjective and objective he can start gluing the pieces together to form a diagnosis. It might not always be one diagnosis, as often different condition present in a similar manner. Treatment options for the session will also be recorded in this section. This way he can gauge at your next treatment whether he is heading in the right direction, or if he needs to completely change his treatment plan.
P – Plan : Because we care and want you to get better, we need some kind of plan to get you there. Most conditions require at least 2-4 physio sessions to resolve and therefore your physio needs to lay down exactly how they going to progress with you in those sessions. They might also give you some homework in the form of exercises.
I hope you have enjoyed the little glimpse inside the mind of a physio and will be more relaxed at your next session, knowing that you are in capable hands (literally).
Drugs are not always necessary. Belief in recovery always is. – Norman Cousins
Erik
BY:
General Health/Fitness