Holistic (adj.) characterized by the treatment of the whole person, taking into account mental and social factors, rather than just the symptoms of a disease.
A Physical Therapist’s Holistic Approach
You are more than your knee pain. Hip pain. Neck pain. Low back pain. Foot pain… The way you eat, sleep, breathe, respond to stress and how you move throughout your day all play a role in the onset of discomfort, or the lack thereof. That’s why I don’t solely look at the body part of concern, but rather take a bird’s-eye view of you as a whole person. A person with external stressors that affect the body’s ability to heal and recover on any given day. So let’s dive into some of the areas that we will discuss during an evaluation in order to help you not just overcome an injury, but to truly thrive.
Four Pillars of Health
- Sleep
- Activity
- Nutrition
- Purpose
These four pillars of health were adapted from The Postnatal Depletion Cure. I have taken my own spin on these from a Physical Therapy and Exercise Physiologist perspective to adapt their importance for all across the lifespan. These pillars are so important to consider in terms of overall health and wellness, epitomizing a holistic approach for treatment and prevention of ailments.
Why Sleep?
The brain’s time for housekeeping. To clear toxins, repair damaged cells and produce restorative hormones. So what does this mean for my physical ailments? Why would my Physical Therapist care? Here’s why: repair and recovery. Those restorative hormones are involved in repairing your muscles, which are broken down during strengthening exercises and daily stressors. The natural cycle of break-down and repair only results in the desired outcome of stronger muscles if we have adequate rest to allow the body to repair itself stronger. A similar process is true for your tendons, fascia and post-surgery tissue healing.
The physical effects of sleep aren’t the only reason I care about your sleep quality. Inadequate sleep also reduces mental clarity, increases negative emotions, weakens your immune system, adversely affects reaction times and reduces alertness.
Clearly, such changes on one’s mental and physical health in respect to sleep deprivation can lead to short and long term consequences. That’s why it’s so important to discuss and determine ways we can maximize quality sleep for whichever stage of life you are in.
Why Activity?
We were made to move. As our society has developed, natural movement as a part of normal daily living has lessened significantly. Particularly in the United States, walking or riding one’s bike as a means of transportation is not as common. Americans are going straight from their garage to work, with minimal walking involved between their home, car and place of employment. Further, many individuals still find themselves working at home in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinically, I have found increased levels of neck and back pain as individuals are moving less throughout their day. Finding ways to add movement into your day will reduce joint stiffness, aid spinal mobility, improve blood flow to your muscles and brain as well as assist with your overall mood.
Understanding your current activity levels will help your Physical Therapist determine where intervention is needed. Movement is our wheelhouse, so we will spend a lot of time developing optimal movement patterns to add throughout your day to address areas of stiffness or discomfort, improve strength and muscular endurance. Additionally, we’ll help reduce injury risk by prioritizing the way you move. Biomechanics, posture, core strength, alignment, balance… these are just some of the many areas of movement that we’ll address to help optimize your daily activity.
Why Nutrition?
Our body’s nourishment. Our fuel. Without nutrient dense food, our body’s ability to recover and repair is reduced. All those fundamental benefits that happen while you sleep? They are aided by proper nutrition. We will discuss at a broad level the diet you typically implore to understand how that may be aiding or subtracting from your ability to heal from injury or surgery.
Pro-inflammatory items such as fried foods, refined carbohydrates, sugar, soda pop and processed meat should be limited in one’s diet.
Anti-inflammatory foods such as salmon, berries, leafy greens, almonds, olive oil and tomatoes assist the body’s ability to heal by providing the micronutrients needed for allll those repair processes we scratched the surface on. Not to mention, wholesome foods set you up for success from the start by creating a healthy tissue environment. Healthy tissues are more adaptable and less prone to injuries, thus prioritizing high-quality nourishment is an important component of your overall health.
Why Purpose?
Having a healthy understanding of who you are and what motivates you in your current phase of life will help guide the goals we set for your course of therapy. Reflecting on the questions in this section can help you determine what you value, how you respond to stress, ways we can help reduce stress levels and what optimal health looks like for you.
What makes you, you? Are you driven by the need to be in optimal health to support your family, both physically, emotionally and financially? What are your goals? Do you want to return to heavy weight lifting, running, playing basketball, participating in Pilates, dancing with your children, gardening or completing your work day without pain? Do you spend time in prayer or meditation? How do you combat stress?
These questions go deep, and while we’ll discuss your goals throughout treatment, many of these prompts are important for self-reflection. To better understand your underlying motivations for maximizing your health, and how to best get there.
A Call to Action
So, there you have it! The human body is a complex, beautiful integration of all its parts. A holistic, comprehensive approach to treatment paints a more thorough picture of who you are and how we can optimally address your goals to help you feel your best.
If you need help individualizing this approach for you, reach out! I’d love to help you heal, holistically!
References
- Atkinson G, Davenne D. Relationships between sleep, physical activity and human health. Physiology & Behavior. 2007;90(2-3):229-235. doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2006.09.015
- Foods that fight inflammation. Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/foods-that-fight-inflammation. Published November 16, 2021. Accessed July 19, 2022
- Serrallach O. Pages 53-54. In: The Postnatal Depletion Cure: A Complete Guide to Rebuilding Your Health & Reclaiming Your Energy: For Mothers of Newborns, Toddlers, and Young Children. New York: Goop Press; 2022.
