Telehealth PT Software in Times of Covid-19

Over the past few weeks, social distancing has quickly become the norm. Covid-19 is wreaking havoc on life-as-usual. As a result, in-person physical therapy and personal training visits have been rapidly abandoned for virtual sessions. Clients still need the guidance of their PT to help them out during these difficult times. Thus, virtual visits it is!

Everywhere you look you see people posting about their experiences using Skype, Zoom and other software packages to conduct their visits. Set-up the room. Place the computer in a way that you can be easily recorded. Make sure that your video partner has prepared his or her set-up in the same way. Voila! You are ready to conduct your telehealth appointment or virtual training session.

Video is a great medium for watching a client demonstrate a movement. It is also a great method for you to demonstrate how a skill should be performed. Another benefit is that through video your client gets to see your non-verbal expressions and emotions. In this regard it has many additional benefits than a simple phone call.

Is it as good as an in-person, live one-on-one session? Of course not. In person, you can use touch and space to provide more direct cuing on how a movement should be performed.

We all know however, that not everyone is a purely visual learner. Some people are way more kinesthetically inclined. They need to FEEL themselves performing a motion to totally understand it. Others are more logical. They need to think through a concept step-by-step, until they grasp it on their own. Some need to HEAR the instructions to learn it best. They are auditory learners.

The point is that not everyone gains the same amount of knowledge from a single medium. Depending on the format, one type of learner may benefit more than the others. Video is great, but it is not the end-all be-all for every client.

If you work with a client who seems to need a little more time to process something on their own, perhaps they are a more logical learner. Providing a video session is great, but it could be that he or she may need to sit with a piece of information for a longer amount of time for it to sink in. This individual might be a great candidate for having some type of written handout provided. Sending a link to an article or a PDF of your physio suggestions may give them the ammunition to align themselves better with your advice.

This strategy also applies to people who fall into the category of auditory-visual learners. People in this category respond great to reading and visualizing material off of a static document. Reading off of a screen or a physical handout, helps them internalize the information in a different way them watching a video.

Different strokes for different folks. You need to be flexible in the instructional techniques you use with your clients.

These months of Covid-19 are trying times for everyone. To make sure that you are giving your clients everything you can to help them, be sure to leverage all of the tools at your fingertips. Don’t just rely on a single medium.

If you want to explore some tools to help your clients who might benefit from a written handout, check out BPMRx.com. There is a 14-day free trial to see if it suits your needs.

Do you have additional recommendations for helping others work with physio clients of different learning styles. Please share them!