Multiple Practitioners WILL Look Through Different Lenses

Let's be honest, who is afraid of exercise? Who is scared to try something new because they've been in pain for so long?

I know only too well, both personally and professionally, how difficult it can be when you're reading conflicting information. It's tough to make the choice to do the right thing when you simply don’t understand.

Just because you're seeing multiple practitioners who look through a different lens at your health concern, telling you something different, doesn't mean any of them are wrong. It means they have a different understanding of what your concerns are and what they think is going to help.

I think it's very interesting, when clients will ask me my opinion on someone else's approach. I strongly believe that the people you see in all walks of healthcare are doing their best and offering what they believe to be the best option for you.

People who are working in healthcare care about their patients. Sometimes that may not come across the way it should or sometimes they seem rude or use language that's hurtful. But the reality is, people don't always understand the power of their words and the effect. They have on others.

While we are trying to get to the root of our health problems we can end up seeing lots of different practitioners. There's nothing wrong with having a healthcare team. However, if you are seeing multiple caregivers who are looking at you through multiple different lenses for the same condition, you are going to be pulled in different directions.

I regularly have clients who also see massage therapy and chiropractic practitioners to chiropractors and I fully support that. I fully support your independence and making choices. I do however, honestly and truly struggle when a client has 15 minutes of stretches from one person and 20 minutes of stretching for another and then are looking to me to give them even more.

The reality is, that 30 minutes of their day has already been taken up before we've even started. If you find you're spending more time on your rehabilitation than you're spending on your life, or that your rehabilitation isn't showing progress despite all the wonderful things you're doing and the energy you're putting into it…then perhaps it is time to take a step back.

Work with one practitioner and find actual progress towards your goals.

Nicola Robertson

Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist