07/09/2025
Heal, adapt or react
Common terms like ‘wear and tear’ or ‘degeneration’ can actually have very negative meanings for patients. It can suggest their condition is irreversible and only going to get worse. I prefer to use heal, adapt or react:
When there has been an injury with actual tissue damage (like a sprain or muscle tear) we can reassure the patient that it will heal and that the right exercises will actually help stimulate this healing process.
In overuse injuries, such as tendon pain, we can say the body has reacted to an increase in exercise which has made it sore and sensitive. We can help calm this reaction down and the body will adapt to the rehab. We know muscles get bigger and stronger in response to exercise, tendons do too!
Even challenging conditions to explain can fit within this approach of heal, adapt or react. For example, with arthritis the patient may be aware that there are changes within their knee (reduced joint space etc). We can explain that these changes are expected over time and occur in many people without pain. Arthritis literally means ‘joint inflammation’ and we think this inflammation can be a reaction to changing activity levels or general health factors. If we can address these factors then this reaction and the symptoms that come with it can settle and a gradual return to activity will help the joint and tissues around it adapt and get stronger.
I like this approach because it focusses on the body’s amazing ability to recover rather than suggesting it’s falling apart!! We can also use it to help people focus on what may help this recovery such as exercise and activity modification, lifestyle and general health changes, sleep and diet.
What do you think? Would you use ‘heal, adapt or react’ with your patients?
