Communication In Exercise Therapy

Exercise therapy is the hallmark to physiotherapy treatment programmes and is the key element in ensuring a high standard of efficiency and outcome quality of patient care. It is the most used form of physiotherapy. The purpose of home exercise is to develop, maintain and restore maximum movement and functional ability. (ISCP 2015, MedStarSportsMedicine 2015). Physiotherapy programmes are needed in circumstances where movement and function are threatened by the process of ageing or that of injury or disease. (Peek et al. 2015). For physiotherapists, home exercise plays an indispensable role in the acute care and rehabilatation of their patients and promotion of health and well being in their communities.

3.2 million people die every year due

(Peek et al. 2015). Communication can include both verbal and non-verbal forms and includes the ability to connect with and understand a persons state of mind and emotions. As proven in a systematic review, good communication proves lower level of patient frustration and higher levels of contentment. (O 'Keeffe et al. 2015). A patient can become annoyed if they have to repeat information, if the notes are incorrect or if they feel they aren’t being listened to. Undoubtably patients apprciate when the therapist understands what they have undergone and when they aren’t treated like a minor irritation. Physiotherapists see empathy as a fundamental component of the patient-therapist relationship.(O 'Keeffe et al.

“It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.” Non verbal communcation is just as important as vocal communication. (O 'Keeffe et al. 2015). Research has shown from a qualitative systematic review that the non verbal component comprises of 55-97% of communication. This non verbal communication includes body language, facial expressions, hand gestures, eye contact etc. (O 'Keeffe 2015). People can also communicate their internal states and intentions through emotion. Non verbal communication applies to both the patient and the healthcare professional. Listening to a pateints feelings, beliefs and fears is a crucial part in helping them to recover. (Resnicow et al. 2002, O 'Keeffe et al. 2015). A listened-to patient feels like they are valued and appreciated. “Good experiences in physiotherapy were most often attributed to effective communication by the physiotherapist, while bad experiences most often related to dissatisfaction with the service followed by poor physiotherapist communication.”(Potter et al.