Physical Therapy Month: How Well Do You Know Your Therapist?

October is Physical Therapy month! There are a number of different reasons that bring patients in front of a physical therapist. Whether it’s an acute injury, chronic pain, a recent hospitalization, balance problems, history of falls, to just name a few. A recent campaign published by the American Physical Therapy Association uses the #ChoosePT hashtag to help build awareness and educate people to choose physical therapy over opioids in order to reduce the number of individuals with opioid addictions due to chronic pain. Physical therapy offers a path to address chronic pain through movement and hands-on care working directly, one-on-one with a patient.¹Beyond just chronic pain management, physical therapy has so many wonderful things to offer for patients including helping individuals regain their strength, pain-free movement, reducing the risk of falls, and keeping you active in your home and community doing the things you have a passion for and love.

It is very important to understand the benefits of physical therapy to help you decide when it’s time to visit your physical therapist. It is also very important to understand how to choose the right physical therapist. In order to do so, understand why you chose physical therapy. I would like to share the experience that led me to pursue a career in physical therapy.

When I was growing up, I always longed to be a teacher. I always loved the feeling of helping someone else learn by sharing my own knowledge. I am also very much a people person so that thought of getting to be around people talking every day for work sounded like the dream job. Throughout my high school and early undergraduate years, I fell in love with human anatomy, physiology and exercise science. I was fascinated by how the human body works, its impeccable ability to recover and bounce back from injuries and illness, and the way human movement and exercise can influence and shape the functioning and health of the body. I also fell in love with the human brain and the psychology behind what makes us who we are shapes what we do, why we do it and what can influence these motivators and barriers. I found that a career in physical therapy encompassed all of these things that fueled my curiosity and passion.

While pursuing my doctorate in physical therapy, I fell even more in love with this career. Not only because of the science but more so because of my patients. I find it such a privilege to be part of each of their journeys and their life story. The strength and beauty I see in each of these individuals and in their stories are amazing. I love that every single person is completely and beautifully different. I find each one of them so strong and courageous as they let in a stranger, myself, into their lives as they make their way along this journey. It’s a very vulnerable place to be in when you tell your story, your fears, and your dreams with someone else. Because of this courage I get to witness, I feel so honored and blessed that I get to do this every day and get to call it my job.

I challenge you to ask your physical therapist about their story, their passion and what drives them. You never know what you may find out! If you do not have a physical therapist, the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) provides a list of steps to help you find a physical therapist to meet your needs in your area. You can find information at this link.  Contact us to request a consultation or visit our website for more information about our physical therapists and what other services we offer that can help you live at your highest level and reach those goals you have set for yourself.

Dr. Megan McCallum
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Live Your Life^TM
Bringing Physical Therapy & Wellness to You!

Dr. Megan McCallum graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead MN with her Bachelors in Exercise Science in 2010. She went to earn her Doctorate in Physical Therapy at Duke University in 2017 where she discovered her passion for working with the Geriatric population. Megan went on to complete the Geriatric Clinical Residency at the University of Minnesota from 2017-2018. Throughout the last year, she spent time providing services in a transitional care unit, outpatient and aquatic physical therapy. 

Megan is passionate about working with older adults and helping them achieve their most optimal quality of life, decrease the risk of falls, and maintain their independence doing the things they love with the people they love. 

In her free time, Megan enjoys spending time with her family and friends including her new puppy. She loves to be outdoors hiking, walking, or at the lake or ocean. She is passionate about taking care of her own personal well-being and lives to promote a healthy lifestyle with her own life.

References

¹Avoid Addictive Opioids. Choose Physical Therapy for Safe Pain Management. #ChoosePT, American Physical Therapy Association, https://www.moveforwardpt.com/choose-physical-therapy-over-opioids-for-pain-management-choosept.  Accessed 16 October 2018