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29 Thu

Setting goals

Setting goals

Written by: Paul Kochoa, PT, DPT, OCS, CKTP, CGFI

 

The other day I was doing an initial evaluation on a patient.  She came to me complaining of left shoulder pain that limited her ability to carry and lift her bags as well as have pain while driving her car.  She never had physical therapy before.  Towards the end of the evaluation, I asked her, “Do you have any specific goals that you want us to address here or attain by the time you’re done with physical therapy?”  She looked at me, surprised.  “No one has every asked me that before”, she said, with wide-eyed smile on her face.

I always ask my patients if there’s something specific that they want me to address or a goal they’re working to attain.  After all, physical therapy only works when the patient is involved.  The physiotherapist and the patient should be working as a team to fix the problems that limit function or produce pain.  

Goals are important.  Physiotherapists set short and long term goals that drive the treatment protocol.  The more proactive a patient is with the program, the more successful they are in attaining their goals and the rehabilitative goals.  A physiotherapist sets goals based on the findings at the initial evaluation and are usually in line with, or integrate into, any specific goals that the patient has.

A proper goal has several parts: the subject, the behavior or condition, the degree, and a time frame.  Generally the subject is the patient, the behavior is the activity or measurement that needs to be improved, the degree is how much that measurement or activity improves, and the time frame is generally 2-4 weeks depending on the type of behavior.  Furthermore, goals need to be functional, objective, and measurable.  If the parameters for the goal are not measurable then how can it be graded or observed? (Or reimbursable by insurance…)

When it comes to this patient’s goal, all she wanted to do was to return to working out in the gym without pain.  From this statement, we have to talk about specifically which activities and exercises she does in the gym and in what manner is her shoulder limiting her with these activities.  In addition, functional activities of daily living need to be assessed and included in the goal setting.  Therefore, her problems with lifting and carrying her purse or bags and driving her car should be included as a functional part of the goal setting process.

The next time you see a physiotherapist, always remember to speak up and work as a team to make goals and attain them.  If you would like more information, please call Professional Physical Therapy and Training at 973-270-7417.  Our offices our located within the YMCA locations in Madison and Summit, NJ.  You do not need to be a member of the YMCA to visit with us.

Image courtesy of jscreationzs / FreeDigitalPhotos.net 

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