Physical therapy can be a grueling process, especially if your regimen is one where you don’t see everyday results. If you need help staying motivated through invisible improvement, here are five books to keep you on the path to recovery.
1. Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence by Rick Hanson
Did you know the human brain evolved to remember bad experiences over pleasant ones? The good news is that you don’t have to sit back and let your lizard impulses do all your thinking for you, and “Hardwiring Happiness” will show you how to overcome biology and stay happy even when you’re sweating through physical therapy.
2. Physical Rehabilitation by Susan B. O’Sullivan and Thomas J. Schmitz
This textbook is intended for future doctors and physical therapists, but it can also be quite informative for those undergoing PT from the other side of the stethoscope. As a bonus, the language is very simple and easy to follow since it’s marketed towards students.
3. Becoming a Supple Leopard: The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing Injury, and Optimizing Athletic Performance by Kelly Starrett and Glen Cordoza
As you might have guessed from the title, this is a humorous, self-aware book that will make you smile as it teaches you how to alleviate pain and get the most out of your rehabilitation routine. It’s definitely worth a browse if you or someone you love is going through physical therapy.
4. The Marshmallow Test: Mastering Self-Control by Walter Mischel
The marshmallow test was a famous psychological experiment performed on children that centered around patience and delayed gratification. You don’t have to be a child to understand these virtues, however—or how they apply to physical therapy.
5. Run, Don’t Walk: The Curious and Chaotic Life of a Physical Therapist Inside Walter Reed Army Medical Center by Adele Levine
If you’ve ever wondered what your physical therapist is really thinking, this is the book for you. It will also inspire and motivate you through tales of pain, struggle and success centered around U.S. soldiers in rehab.