Three years ago, I injured my ankle. I wasn’t a physio yet — but almost — and my first thought was:
“If I can’t recover from my own injury, how am I supposed to help others?”
We’ve all heard it: doctors make the worst patients.
Physios… we’re no different. Being on the other side of the treatment table was humbling. That injury (and the tendonitis that followed later) didn’t just heal — it shaped me.
Because when you’re the patient, suddenly you get it:
The fear.
The frustration.
The endless questions:
“Will this pain stay forever?”
“Will this limit how I move?”
“How long until I can train again?”
From the outside, I know the answers. Objective, clinical, rational.
But when you are the one in pain, logic suddenly loses volume.
Your brain turns into a drama queen. It whispers worst-case scenarios. And even when you “should know better,” your mind still loves to mess with you.
Being your own physio means juggling both roles at once — clinician and patient — and that’s not as easy as textbooks make it sound.
Over time, two things helped me tremendously. I use them with my own recovery, in everyday challenges, and with my patients — from back-pain cases to ACL rehab to hip replacements. You can apply them even outside of physiotherapy.
1. Treat yourself like a third person 👩🏻⚕️
When my ankle and later my tendon flared up, I stopped treating myself.
I imagined a patient walking into my practice with my exact symptoms.
Then I asked:
- How would I treat them?
- What prognosis would I give?
- Would I push — or slow them down?
- When would I advise them to return to sport?
Seeing myself as someone else created distance from the emotions.
I could make decisions based on symptoms, not fear.
We do this naturally when helping friends.
When they spiral, we offer perspective. Calm. Clarity.
But with ourselves? Suddenly everything feels personal.
By externalizing, you become your own “friend in the room.”
It won’t replace real support — but it gives you guidance when nobody’s around.
2. Run an experiment 🧑🏻🔬
Whenever I was unsure how to progress in rehab, I turned it into a tiny experiment.
No complex setup. Just a simple hypothesis:
“If I do X, then Y will happen.”
Example from my recovery:
“If I go climbing today, my ankle will be fine.”
Then I planned ahead:
✅ If it goes well → I progress.
❌ If it doesn’t → I stop and know I’m not ready yet.
Failure wasn’t a setback — it was information.
Scientists learn by testing, adjusting, testing again.
Recovery works the same way.
I did this step-by-step: climbing → cycling → jumping → running.
I use this approach with patients too.
Recently, I tested Romanian Deadlifts with someone suffering severe back pain — no weight, small ROM, gentle. In therapy she felt okay, but hours later it worsened. So we paused. Her back simply wasn’t ready. Without trying, we wouldn’t know. In a few weeks we’ll test again — if she handles it then, perfect. If not, we pivot.
Progress is rarely a straight line. One small experiment can teach more than hours of overthinking.
And honestly, I apply this outside the clinic too.
When I finished my studies, I had no idea whether opening my own practice was smart. I didn’t feel “experienced enough” and entrepreneurship terrified me.
But I treated it like another experiment.
If I fail → I go back to the rehab center full time.
If I succeed → amazing.
No pressure. Just curiosity.
Two years later?
That “tiny experiment” became my practice — and one of the best decisions I’ve made.
Because I wasn’t forcing a life choice.
I was testing it.
🧪 Let’s Experiment
Progress starts with stepping back — and then stepping forward.
Sometimes the mind screams louder than logic. We worry, we anticipate the worst, we delay decisions because we want certainty. But certainty rarely arrives first.
🎯 Try This:
When you feel stuck or unsure what to do next:
- Externalize. Ask yourself: “If a friend came to me with this exact problem, what would I say?” Step outside the emotion. Treat yourself like a third person.
- Experiment. Create a simple hypothesis: “If I do X, I expect Y.” Then test it for a day, a week, or two — no pressure, just curiosity. Observe what happens. Adjust. Try again.
Both methods reduce pressure. Both bring clarity. Both move you forward — gently.
🧠 Final Thought:
You don’t have to commit, know the outcome, or have it all figured out. Sometimes “let’s try and see” is enough to break the cycle and discover what’s possible.
Keep it simple, stay curious, and keep learning—you’ve got this.
Take care,
Carina 🦊