The Power of Patient Communication in Physical Therapy
Have you ever stopped to consider what type of communication is truly important with your patients—and what effective communication actually looks like? It starts the moment you greet them and continues throughout your session. Do you feel like you’re on the same page? Are you building rapport? Are your questions meaningful and clear to the patient?
Ask Open-Ended Questions
One of the easiest ways to elevate your patient communication is by asking more open-ended questions. Instead of relying on leading questions like, “Is that position worse, better, or the same?” try questions that encourage your patients to think and reflect:
- What are you feeling right now?
- What specifically is sore?
- How would you describe your pain?
This approach gives patients more space to share their experience honestly, rather than just responding with a simple “yes” or “no.”
Dig Deeper When Patients Say “I Don’t Know”
Even when patients say, “I don’t know,” it’s important to dig deeper. Often, this response means the change wasn’t noticeable. From there, you can ask more specific follow-up questions:
- What specifically feels better?
- What has changed?
- How would you rate your discomfort on a scale from zero to ten?
- Where exactly do you feel it working during the exercise?
The more detailed information you gather, the better your mutual understanding becomes—and the easier your communication will be. Patients feel heard and seen, and you’ll avoid unintentionally inserting bias into your questions.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of asking, “Is that better?”—after all, we want the patient to feel better and to tell us they do. But this can sometimes leave valuable information unspoken. Asking patients to describe exactly what changed or improved gives you a clearer picture of their progress and helps guide the next steps in their treatment plan.
Empower Patients Through Test-Treat-Retest
By incorporating these strategies into your test-treat-retest approach, you’ll not only improve patient outcomes faster but also create buy-in for the treatment plan. Patients who feel understood and involved are more likely to engage fully in their exercises and recovery.
Finally, instead of giving patients a list of goals, encourage them to think critically about their own:
- What goals do you want to achieve?
- What does improvement look like to you?
This method empowers patients to be active participants in their care, making communication a cornerstone of effective physical therapy.
Questions? Check out these FAQs!
Effective communication builds trust, ensures patients feel heard, and provides clearer insights into their symptoms. It improves treatment accuracy, patient engagement, and overall outcomes.
Open-ended questions encourage patients to describe their experience in detail rather than giving simple “yes” or “no” answers. Examples include: “What are you feeling right now?” or “How would you describe your pain?” This helps therapists gather more accurate and useful information.
Ask follow-up questions that guide patients to reflect on changes and sensations, such as: “What specifically feels better?” or “Where exactly do you feel it working during the exercise?” This detailed feedback helps refine treatment decisions.
Avoid leading questions like “Is that better?” which can unintentionally bias responses. Instead, ask questions that allow patients to describe their progress and challenges in their own words.
Clear communication helps patients articulate changes after each treatment, making it easier to assess progress and adjust the plan. It ensures treatments are effective and patient-centered.
Instead of imposing goals, ask patients: “What goals do you want to achieve?” or “What does improvement look like to you?” This encourages active participation and ownership of their recovery.
Yes. When patients feel understood and engaged, they are more likely to adhere to exercises, participate actively, and achieve faster, more meaningful results.
Use open-ended questions, follow up for specifics, encourage reflection, avoid assumptions, and involve patients in goal setting. Consistently applying these strategies strengthens the therapeutic relationship and care quality.
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