Thursday, October 16, 2008

Unmotivated patient

I am currently treating a very difficult patient as a musculo outpatient. Before i saw him for the first time my supervisor had spoken to me about him, informing me he was a challenging case who he had treated in the past. He presented with (R) sided neck pain with associated migranes, as well as pain in between his shoulder blades, which he reports 'comes on every year about this time' and he cannot think of a possible cause. On objective assessment he has a hypermobile neck through out and he consistently self manipulates it which has led to an instablilty problem. He also has very tight rhomboids and the pain between his shoudler blades comes on when he retracts his scapula together. He seems to have some pyschosocial issues as he had not worked for the previous 2 years due to chronic LBP. Initially i released his tight rhomboids and tried to give him some DNF exercises to increase his stability in his neck, but he does not do his exercises. I then tried to strengthen serratus and stretch his rhomboids out but again poor compliance has left me in the same place i started after 4 weeks. When my supervisor asked me what i was hoping to do with him in my last treatment session i thought in my head im hoping for a DNA as i just can't think of what else to try with this patient. In the previous 2 years when he has been treated he has just rung physio reporting he is better now and i find myself hoping that this happens this time, and i realise this is a bad attitude to take but i am all out ideas of how to get him to take responsibilty for his rehabilitation. Does anyone have any good techniques they use?

1 comment:

Tracey C said...

This is a very difficult situation Dash, especially when you find yourself hoping for a DNA. I have had similar experiences with some patients and have found the best way to deal with it is to tell them that you can only provide a certain amount as a physio and the rest is up to them and explain to them it is a waste of time to come to physio if they are not going to do their home exercises.