“If you want to go fishing, begin by thinking like a fish.” (old Maori saying)
You might know that when people do daily Posture Exercises they respond and feel better to motion based therapies, but….Did you know posture exercises also serve as an “early warning” system for when people begin to “stiffen up”.
Daily posture exercise makes people Posture conscious, and patients who are aware of how their body should move kinesthetically “know” when they are not moving normally.
Even if your treatment plan is state of the art, and includes beginning active care instruction within the first week of care, patients frequently discontinue exercises once the pain is gone. So in order to successfully create a new Posture Exercise habit and build Posture Consciousness, you must actively create patient accountability and track performance. HabitKeys are one way to help patients create a habit of daily Posture Exercises.
HabitKeys are an activity, a time, or anything else in a daily routine, to which you can consciously tie, or “key”, a new habit. Patients frequently have a hard time doing their posture exercises consistently, so after someone has learned their initial posture exercises, try giving them this “homework” assignment:
“Mr. /Ms. Patient, I am going to give you a homework assignment. When you come in for your next visit, I want you to tell me when a good time for you to do your posture exercises is. The goal is to make it a habit. If you only do your exercises when you get a chance, my experience is that when you feel better, there is little chance you are going to do them. It is important to keep your back (or neck, or other symptom area) moving fully, and with control. So, whether it is before lunch, after breakfast, when you let the dog out …WHATEVER, The key is to build a habit. Think about it and let me know.”
Note this in your file, and follow up on the next visit. This does a number of things. They know it’s important enough for you to follow up with them. It also places posture exercise as priority in their day. Once a habit is created, it is relatively easy to maintain. We need to empower patients to care for their body, both on their own and, when necessary, with professional care. The challenge is creating the habit, and directing the patient’s conscious choice can create a LifeHabit of Conscious Posture Exercise.
Chiropractic… Rehab… Exercise… “Integrating Chiropractic & Posture Rehab Exercise” is presented nationally and sponsored by BodyZone.com and UBCC (12 CE Credits). Integrating exercise and active care along with chiropractic is essential for an outcome oriented practice. Progressive core stabilization exercises will increase patient participation and improve results as well as retention. Posture rehab exercises are reimbursable, and many insurance companies demand active care plans for authorization of continued treatment.
BodyZone.com will teach you practical, focused motion exercise protocols using inexpensive posture balls and other low-tech tools. You will learn current, research documented concepts of posture, motion, exercise and chiropractic to easily incorporate into your practice.
Steven P. Weiniger, DC / Senior Editor BodyZone.com
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This article is the next in a series on integrating Managed Care, insurance, and personal pay in a practice treating patients for AcuteCare, RehabCare and WellnessCare. If you agree with the Patient Choice philosophy of care, and believe this is the intelligent path for our profession, we’d like to hear from you. Please leave a comment below.