Barriers To Physical Therapy

Coming from a culture of high fatty foods and parents who are both chefs I have constantly struggled with weight gain my whole life. My biggest challenge was poor eating habits and consistent exercise routine. Since I had started going back to school to become a physical therapist, studying has become more of a priority rather than going to the gym or eating right. At first I thought the weight gain was temporary and would get back to the gym at any day, but then the days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, and all of a sudden I am the heaviest I have ever been in my life at 230 pounds. My health behavior change was simple: lose weight by eating under my calorie count. I had high expectations for myself and was determined to be 12 pounds lighter. Obstructing the way to my goal were 3 barriers: time, workload, and stress. All 3 barriers were relative to one another; if time were not managed properly then the amount of workload would accumulate, which would result in a high …show more content…
I learned that having an attainable goal is the foundation to every successful treatment. Having a goal allows the patient to focus on working hard each visit to get better, instead of fixating on their injury and the things they cannot do. My treatment interactions will be heavily influenced by the patient’s goals, and I will adhere to their needs and do everything in my power to help reach their goals. One of the biggest challenges will be when the patient leaves the clinic and goes home. Adhereing to functional home programs can lead to a more successful rehabilitation. However, I understand there will be potential barriers that may arise, preventing any progress. By discussing these barriers with the patient, we could develop strategies on how to overcome them. At the end of their treatment, I hope they have reached their goal and instilled a new health behavior change for a better