Regain your ability to do activities you love

Do you have chronic pain or a neurological condition such as Parkinson’s, muscular dystrophy or multiple sclerosis (MS), or have you suffered from a stroke and are struggling to manage the after-effects? These are all challenging conditions to manage because they are chronic – or long-lasting. Follow these four steps for the most effective way for long-term management of your chronic condition and get back in control of your life.

STEP ONE Align yourself with the experts. Ask questions! If you are comfortable with how your condition is being handled, stick to the plan. If you’ve hit a roadblock, be sure to get a second opinion. The physical therapists at Franklin Rehabilitation know physicians in all specialties who have been endorsed by the highest standard – our patients. Your medical provider should understand what you are up against and demonstrate true interest in your well-being by giving you direct answers and realistic options to manage your condition.

STEP TWO Become informed. Stay on top of your consultations and get updated tests, as needed. If you are avoiding activities you had previously been able to do, your condition may be worsening. When dealing with chronic conditions, your function may decrease, however a decline isn’t something you should always expect.
Patients tell us all the time, “My back pain gets worse if I do yardwork or gardening, so I just don’t do it as much as I’d like.” As a physical therapist, we hear: “Because of my back pain, I now do less of the activities I enjoy.”

Unfortunately, when patients feel their condition cannot get better or stay manageable, they start to give up. What happens next? The list of activities they enjoy, but no longer feel they can keep up with, grows. Don’t resign yourself to giving up activities you love. Contact a physical therapist at Franklin Rehabilitation if you feel your condition is worsening. We’ll come up with a unique care plan designed to keep you active.

STEP THREE Go on the offensive. Don’t just depend on doctor visits and tests. While those are crucial, simply maintaining that part of your treatment will not allow you to continue doing what you love. If you are told by your doctor, the condition may be worsening, but he or she does not give solutions on how to slow or stop the progression (besides more medication), take that next step in your health. Do something proactive to keep moving. Our physical therapists are experts at designing treatment programs that make staying active a reality.

STEP FOUR Use it or lose it. After you have done everything you can to manage the current phase of your condition, the focus switches to maintenance. Find regular activities or exercises you enjoy to avoid losing the momentum of your progress.

Franklin Rehabilitation is more than just physical therapy sessions. We offer options like home exercises with video demonstration. As time goes on, we’ll check on you to make sure your individual treatment plan is continuing to be effective. If there is ever a decline in your abilities, we offer a brief return to physical therapy to get you back on track before you lose any function.

Remember, we always offer a free pain screening and our therapists can look at your movement patterns and see what we can do to help eliminate your pain. Please contact us today at (414) 425-9700 for your free screening.