Comments on the ergonomics of the physiotherapist’s work and suggestions on cooperation with other members of the therapeutic team and people from the patient’s close environment (family, friends)

Imagine that in working with a football player after an injury and ACL reconstruction you want to achieve the following goals: 

• Make the athlete understand what the injury was, what the surgery was, and what rehabilitation will involve 

• Reduce athlete’s anxiety and stress or other negative emotions 

• Increase the athlete’s motivation to actively participate in rehabilitation 

• Give the athlete a sense of satisfaction with what he has already achieved during therapy 

• Reduce the athlete’s reluctance to perform the necessary exercises 

• Increase the athlete’s confidence 

• Re-educate movement patterns disturbed as a result of the injury 

• Make the athlete reject negative thinking and be optimistic about the future 

• Relax the body 

• Awaken the athlete’s internal motivation to actively participate in therapy 

Below are the types of interventions you may benefit from. Try to match them with the goals presented above: 

• Education 

• Conversation 

• Setting long-term and short-term goals 

• Using biofeedback 

• Help with social support (e.g., messages from teammates or supporters) 

• Motion visualization 

• Relaxation techniques 

• Mindfulness techniques 

• Arrangement of the rehabilitation space (e.g., doing exercises with another patient or near teammates) 

• Giving frequent feedback (“You’re doing well”, “look how much you’ve already achieved”, “muscle strength has improved by … in the last month”) 

• Replacing exercises or treatments that the athlete dislikes with alternatives 

• Appreciation of the effort put into therapy even if the effects are not yet satisfactory 

• Breathing exercises 

• Taking care of sleep and rest hygiene 

• Suggestion of psychological consultation  • Help in making the athlete aware of his other off-field abilities, help in finding a hobby, activities for the time of return to full fitness