The top 5 reasons injuries can reoccur
As physios we’re pretty sure we hate seeing injuries re-occur as much as our clients do. There are several key reasons why injuries may re-occur. Let’s take a look at the top five reasons why some injuries just won’t go away.
1. Missed diagnosis. If the injury is not correctly diagnosed as part of the initial physio assessment than the treatment that follows is at risk of being misdirected. Misdirected treatment will lead to an incomplete rehabilitation and a heightened likelihood of the injury recurring.
2. Not all injury contributory factors were addressed. If not all original contributory factors are addressed as part of a rehabilitation program than there exists a likelihood of an injury recurring. All root causes need to be addressed if a recurrence is to be avoided.
3. The recommendations for ongoing body maintenance are not adhered to. Physios will often prescribe maintenance home exercises or even recommend follow up in room review sessions. Just as car is service so too the rehabilitated body may need a ‘check in’. Complacency can set in for some patients and body maintenance work is ceased.
4. Patient may self- discharge prematurely from physiotherapy care. Too often patients will mistakenly believe that the resolution of their pain signals the end of injury rehabilitation. Quite often the absence of pain signals the start of the ‘hard work’ such as stabilising and strengthening the body to prevent injury recurrence.
5. Rest alone is not always the answer. Some injured folk believe rest will cure ‘all ills’. Whilst avoiding aggravating and pain producing activities is smart in isolation it will not elicit a through and effective rehabilitation outcome. In addition to resting the injured body part seek professional help.
Brad Beer (APAM)
POGO Physio Guru
