07/11/2025
Stop asking ChatGPT to write a treatment plan for your back pain and read this👇
✨You Are More Than Your Diagnosis✨
There’s a common misconception that if someone has (insert diagnosis here),—like tennis elbow pain, a disc herniation, a rotator cuff tear, knee arthritis, an ankle sprain,—they should automatically receive (insert specific treatment plan here). Maybe you’ve even visited a doctor or even a physical therapist for your issue, and they handed you a pre-printed sheet of exercises to work on.
The reality is that a diagnosis is only one part of the picture. No two people with the same diagnosis are exactly the same.
A well-designed rehab program considers the whole person, including:
🔹 Functional goals (the activities they want to return to)
🔹 Medical history (chronic conditions, prior injuries)
🔹 Occupational demands
🔹 Directional preference of movement, if indicated by assessment
🔹 Available equipment and environment
🔹 Pain sensitivity/irritability
🔹 Exercise preferences and tolerance
🔹 Age and activity level
🔹 Mobility and strength levels
🔹 Beliefs about pain and recovery
🔹Learning style and level of cueing needed
🔹 Movement coordination and control
…and many other factors.
What’s ideal for one individual may be completely inappropriate for another, even with the same diagnosis on paper or a similar MRI report. That’s why it’s so important to be assessed (and continually reassessed) by a qualified physical therapist who can work with you to develop and progress a plan that is customized to your unique situation and goals—instead of relying on a one-size-fits-all approach.
Google and AI are great, but you are more than your diagnosis—and your care should reflect that.
Have you ever received a generic treatment plan?
Learn more about conditions I can help with at https://bodyinmotionnc.com/
