How to Be a Proactive Patient (And Why It Changes Everything)
It is not uncommon to try to get an appointment booked as soon as you feel pain; that is how a lot of us operate.
Because before that point, we assumed everything was fine, nothing was significant enough to warrant intervention. That is how we become reactive rather than proactive with our health, often waiting for symptoms to manifest before seeking care.
Most people find us when something hurts.
Whilst that is not a bad thing, we’ve all done it. Which may mean we have to stop what we’ve been doing and look for an emergency solution, one that addresses the pain and the root cause.
That is where the real difference between reactive and proactive care becomes significant to your movement journey.
The Proactive Patient
A common misconception is what is the point of coming in for treatment when you feel okay? The answer is to stay on top of your movement goals and ensure everything is working as it should.
You don’t skip your car's MOT because it appears fine; you take it in and hope they don’t find any issues, but if they do, it’s an opportunity to get it fixed. Whilst everything may be working okay, there may be slight overuse on one side, which could lead to compensation and, if ignored, even worse injury.
The proactive patient also considers that improving movement away from injury might be the next step to achieving that big goal, big lift, or optimal health. That is how important movement is; it is the vehicle that gets us to where we want to be.
Within the Chiropractic world, we refer to this as "maintenance care," which is designed to prevent the recurrence of movement issues and sustain overall well-being by addressing potential problems before they escalate.
That’s the key, catching things early and making sure movement remains optimal.
Osgood Movement is a chiropractic and sports rehabilitation clinic based in South East London, next to the iconic Elephant & Castle. Working with patients, athletes and individuals invested in moving optimally.
What does maintenance care include?
Many of our patients continue to see us post-injury because they recognise the importance of staying on top of things, and maintenance care looks different for each person.
For some, it will be the continuation of hands-on treatment, to help with muscular release, spinal adjustments, and joint mobilisation. For others, it will involve tailored exercise prescriptions and rehab sessions that focus on strengthening and flexibility to support sustained function. These sessions can include updating rehab programmes, progressing exercises, and increasing intensity.
We also look at the lifestyle factors we can optimise to ensure optimal movement and general well-being. Explore how to make work activities more ergonomic, considering existing conditions, and tailoring approaches to ensure that you are best supported.
“Throughout our sessions, she made sure I understood both the WHY and HOW behind my pain. As someone who had spent countless hours trying to diagnose myself using YouTube videos that only partially matched my situation, I appreciated her clear, easily understood explanations. Thanks to her guidance, I’ve built a much deeper understanding of rehab - how to prevent future injuries and manage flare-ups when they happen.” - Lewis Wong.
Our personalised approach ensures the unique needs and goals of each patient are addressed, whether for recovery from acute injuries, improving long-term performance, or preventing injuries.