I love “State of Origin” time.
Note for Non Australian Subscribers – State of Origin is Australian Rugby League’s NSW V’s Queensland Yearly 3 Game Series.
The interstate rivalry and saturation media coverage makes it great to be a good old Rugby league tragic.
However – a recent media item really got my attention.
One of New South Wales star players – Jarryd Hayne – sustained a Grade One hamstring strain while playing for his club side the weekend just gone.
Placing him in doubt for the next State of Origin game in a few weeks time.
Nothing special about this I hear you say – it happens ever week in all sporting codes.
However – what pricked my ears was the article that included the text:
“Star to have Physio Eight Times a Day to be Fit for Game Two”
I then saw an interview Jarryd gave on a sports panel last night where he commented on the progress of the injury by saying:
“I had 5 physios sessions yesterday and 6 today”.
So what I hear you ask.
Well – have you ever seen a new graduate physio do an initial assessment and treatment of a grade one hamstring strain and make the follow up appointment for anything between 4 and 10 days away?
Why does Jarryd Hayne need physio multiple times a day – yet our standard patient only gets booked in once or twice a week?
The answer my learned colleagues can be one of two possible reasons:
One – the physio is too worried about the cost to the patient to book in daily treatment sessions.
OR
Two – the physio does not believe in their ability to make a real difference to the recovery of this injury – so they sent the patient off to do some gentle stretching and icing.
In both cases – the result is gross under-servicing of the patient and ultimately – a poor clinical outcome.
I know this will challenge some of you – but I firmly believe that the more experienced and confident a therapist is – the more consultations they will deliver to their clients.
Not the reverse.
Being a better therapist does not necessarily mean you get them better in less visits – however it does mean you get a better outcome and more complete recovery.
So the next time one of your therapists makes a follow up appointment for a client weeks down the track – ask them:
“If that was Jarryd Hayne – and he had a State of Origin Game to play in 2 weeks – would you have still made the next appointment that far in advance?”
I suspect not.
I value your comments.
Best Wishes
Paul Wright