What inspires you to move?
One of my clients recently made a wonderfully reasonable comment that got me thinking about this very question.
She said:
“Joh, why would I march on the spot? I’d actually just like to walk across the road to the op shop.”
Olive* expressed a common concern that many people have when it comes to rehab: how do the activities I do in therapy actually relate to what I enjoy?
Let’s look closer at Olive’s story.
Olive loves to crochet coverings for old coat hangers, among other crafty things, and often finds her materials at the op shop. After talking together we agreed that walking to the op shop could definitely be a goal for the next month. However, with a recent fracture, this was still a little way off.
I could tell by the look on Olive’s face that she still wasn’t enthralled with the plan so we decided to delve a little deeper.
I asked Olive why she liked to go to the op shop, aside from picking up coat hangers.
She answered:
“It makes me feel useful to have a job to do, I like talking with the volunteers, and to be honest I get a bit of a rush crossing the road by myself”.
From these answers, I could get more of a feel for what Olive values: a sense of contribution, community engagement, and a little adrenaline rush!
I explained to Olive that people’s values, who and what is most important to us, are like a compass; they help to guide us in the direction we want to go.
A value is not a destination like a goal is, but a desire that is lived moment by moment. I encouraged her that perhaps if we could sprinkle a little more meaning into her rehabilitation, we would both feel more inspired.
Together we decided to integrate these values into her exercise routine. Instead of marching on the spot, we marched over to her neighbour’s unit to give her a wave and say good morning.
We arranged for Olive to participate in the morning group exercise class with modifications made specifically for her recovery. And, we included a balance exercise that gave Olive a little adrenaline hit by testing her reaction speeds!
This interaction was a lovely reminder that rather than exercise being a thing we do simply to move our bodies we can consider what it is deep inside that moves us. If we tap into this, movement can feel more enjoyable, meaningful and effortless.
So, what values inspire you to move?
* Name has been changed
Article written by Johanna Cornish (TPC Physiotherapist)
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