Overland ParkBlog
January 29, 2019
The Heavyweight Fight: Preventive Care vs Reactive Treatment
TruMove—promoting healthier living through movement care and education in Overland Park KS, the greater Kansas City area, and beyond.
In one corner we have the reigning heavyweight champion in physical therapy practice: Reactive Treatment, the long-time golden child of the health insurance industry. In the opposing corner, we have an emerging viable contender for the title: Preventive Care. Boasting improved health, big savings, longevity and greater opportunity, Preventive Care is fearlessly attempting to change the face of healthcare for the better and creating a lot of positive buzz.
Promoting the Underdog: Preventive Care
When we at TruMove talk about Preventive Care, we are referring to catching and addressing movement dysfunctions early before they result in pain and injury. This will not only ideally save you from suffering in pain, but it will also save you time and money in the long run. Naturally there are skeptics, but there is proven widespread value in Preventive Care — routine physicals, dental cleanings, car maintenance are all examples of investments in Preventive Care. Why not approach your body mechanics in the same way? At TruMove, we have a variety of options including Movement Screens, Health Memberships and Whiteboard Workouts that enable you to address dysfunctions early and to maintain and/or maximize performance. We believe that Preventive Care is healthcare’s Cinderella story…and the launch pad for your happily ever after.
Dethroning the Champ: Reactive Treatment
Reactive Treatment refers to waiting until serious symptoms present to treat. Most health insurance providers operate with Reactive Treatment principles. Even though many injuries can be avoided if the dysfunctions are addressed in the early stages and even though injuries often take longer to heal with delayed treatment, most health insurance providers still will not cover Preventive Care. Thus, individuals are not able to get the care they need when there is the most potential for restored and maximized health. They must wait until they’ve been knocked down (figuratively and sometimes literally) before seeking treatment. The delay results in the need for longer episodes of care, driving up costs, limitations and regulations on your health insurance coverage.
Round 1: Listen to Your Body
Our bodies were designed to give us queues as to what is needed to move efficiently. Even when no significant symptoms are presenting, the body still talks to us. If you feel stiff after sitting for long periods, your body is likely telling you that you need to get up and move more often. If you feel abnormally achy after a run or a routine activity, your body may be indicating that something is amiss in your movement patterns and it needs to be addressed. You see, our bodies have a “Little Engine That Could” mentality — they want to keep us moving at all costs. In order to do so, the body will change how it operates to compensate for deficiencies and dysfunctions elsewhere. This can keep things running for a while but when the compensations have met their limit, we begin to experience more serious symptoms. Listen to your body — don’t ignore the queues, even the subtle ones.
Round 2: Throw the Knockout Punch
When a movement restriction or compensation is identified early, management tools to reduce the limitation and improve your function can be provided. Having a TruMove physical therapist analyze your movement during a FREE Movement Screen is a great way to detect any such dysfunctions and compensations. If you wait until you’re experiencing symptoms or noticing distinct movement limitations, it will likely take longer for you to heal and bounce back. Hit movement limitations with a knockout punch by scheduling movement screens on a regular basis to catch issues early and address dysfunctions, thereby decreasing the amount of money you spend on healthcare as a whole and minimizing time away from the activities you love.
Round 3: “Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee”
Throughout your life, your body will grow, change, and adapt to the tasks you request of it. In addition to becoming in-tune with your body — listening to the signals it sends when something is “off” and seeking movement assessments to catch dysfunctions early — continuing to be active and applying what you learn about your body’s movement tendencies and compensations will prove extremely beneficial in maintaining good movement health. When you come in for a FREE Movement Screen, we will equip you with customized tools (mobility activities, stretches, breathing techniques, etc.) and resources that will allow you to correct current limitations and optimize your movement health. Maintaining your movement system as part of your daily routine will allow you “float like a butterfly” through your desired activities and if ever an issue arises, you will know how to “sting like a bee” and properly address the dysfunction before it leads to more serious symptoms. Taking advantage of our Health Membership is also a great way to stay on top of your game, maintaining and optimizing your movement health, living a life without limits.
While Physical Therapy services covered by health insurance are still available here at TruMove, we see so much more potential in taking a proactive approach. It is the reason we offer a wide array of Priority Care services. We’re hedging our bets on Preventive Care knocking out Reactive Treatment for the new heavyweight title. Live like a champion – make healthy choices that impact today, tomorrow and the years to come.
As always, if you have any questions about your symptoms, available treatments, or how to prevent future injury, please reach out to us or visit our clinic in Overland Park, KS. We have been serving the Kansas City area for over a decade and continue to expand our outreach, always striving for Better Health Through Motion!
