Physical Therapy Humor: A Few Jokes Only PTs Understand PT. 2
8/29/2022
By Mike Severo, PT
Physical Therapy Humor: A Few Jokes Only PTs Understand, Part 2
When you work in PT, you never know what kind of day you will have. It can be a mild, laid-back day or you may have one that is long and excruciating. It's especially trying when patients use their own analogies and experiences to describe the pain.
- Patient - “It only hurts when I move in this extreme direction.” PT- “Didn’t we agree there was no need to move in that extreme direction?” You know they will move in that direction anyway just to see if it still hurts.
- When a man tells you it hurts like labor pains. Really?
Being a physical therapist means you can be a little 'humerus' when trying to calm your patient or help them work through a difficult exercise.
- Ask a funeral home employee or morgue worker if they have done any dead lifts lately.
- A patient is into yoga – tell them that you aren't sure if PT will work for them. It may be a stretch.
- Telling good jokes is a joint effort. Make sure your patient thinks its humerus.
- Always brace yourself for a good laugh.
- If you know a client likes pirate movies, have them do planks.
- Most pinched nerves start out as a pain in the butt.
The best part of being a physical therapist is when your clients can laugh about their pain or circumstance. It makes it easier to deal with if they have something to smile about. Make a joke or two. Self deprecating humor can go a long way and can them to smile or laugh out loud. Laughter can increase blood flow to the brain, decrease HR and BP, get muscles to relax and stimulates the release of many of the body’s natural “feel good” chemicals. Laughter truly is the best medicine!
Share a story. Tell a joke. Take the time to show each patient compassion. If it's a laugh-or-cry situation, shoot for the laugh. It may just make their day.