Ashley's Feedback #2

Feedback for Activity #2 : Stretching to Music Resource

Who: Ryan Montgomery - Physical Therapist at the VA Medical Center in Lexington, KY

Date of Implementation: April 19, 2022 - April 26, 2022

Date of Feedback Received: April 27, 2022

Goal: Targeting at-home stretching and exercise treatment plan compliance - increasing motivation and success in completing the required time goal

Feedback Reflection

Introduction:

The next activity that I created was a handout that expressed the benefits of stretching to music and outlined instructions on how to pair their stretches with the music while utilizing a timer. I wanted to find a way to help the veteran patient with compliance and motivation regarding their at-home exercise plans - specifically the stretches portion. The veteran patients would use a timer a long with listening to their favorite songs for motivation. The activity goal was for the veteran patients to focus on the music rather than the amount of time they had to hold a stretch for. This was to help with the perception that stretches are "boring," as some patients previously determined.

Experience:

This experience has been incredibly enlightening. I have been learning a lot about how one change in routine could mean the difference between compliance and non-compliance. Ryan stated that he observed an increase in gains regarding active range of motion and passive range of motion during his follow-up visits with veteran patients utilizing the activities than those who are not. I am enjoying collaborating on the projects together and look forward to working on the next one.

It has been really interesting creating resources for someone else to use. This is something I have not previously done before. Usually you make a plan, implement that plan, assess its effectiveness, and then make a new plan. I have enjoyed this new experience of collaborating on a plan, my community partner enacting that plan, him compiling feedback, and then collaborating on a new plan.

Assumptions:

When writing out the handout, I recognized that it was possible that the instructions might be overly complicated. I edited multiple times to try and make them as simplified and structured as possible. Upon reflection, I recognize that I made significantly more assumptions this go-around than I did last time. I think that came from the confidence I gained in receiving such positive feedback from the first activity.

I assumed that the veteran patients would have a timer, as well as some way to listen to music. What I did not know was that many of the older veteran patients actually utilized radios they had in their homes. I thought that many would use some kind of streaming service, such as YouTube, Spotify, or iTunes. However, according to Ryan, a good portion of his patients do not know how to use those applications. I also assumed the veteran patients would either use a stopwatch or the timer app on their phones. 

Knowledge and Skills:

I, again, received excellent feedback from Ryan on behalf of his patients. I sincerely appreciate his commitment to this project. One of the biggest goals of this activity was to help improve compliance when doing their daily stretching as prescribed by their physical therapists. I am so glad to know that we did, in fact, achieve that goal! According to Ryan, his patients found the stretches were more enjoyable when paired with the activity and did not seem to take as long to complete. Motivation and distraction were the secondary goals we had for this activity, and I was very happy to hear they were achieved as well. Ryan also stated that his patients felt they could stretch further/deeper when listening to up-beat songs or songs that they particularly enjoyed.

Interestingly enough, the patients reported improved mood when doing the stretches with the activity, resulting in them looking forward to doing them the next day. Many of the patients also created a playlist that they used specifically with their at-home exercise plans. Every patient who reported feedback to Ryan stated that they had an increase in motivation to perform with the addition of music. With their improved compliance to the at-home exercise plan, the patients also reported a reduction in back, shoulder, neck, and knee pain.

Knowing now that the veteran patients use their radios for music and watches for timing, I will be sure to add that into the next activity. I want to make sure that I am creating handouts with information that is as accessible as possible. I really appreciated this feedback because it is giving me the opportunity to think outside the box a little when creating this next activity.

Action:

The third activity that I plan to create is an exercising to music handout. This handout is a kind of combination of both the first and second activity. From the first activity, they will again find the beat to use as their rhythm/pulse/structure. From the second activity, they will focus on the music to use as motivation to complete the required number of repetitions as prescribed by their physical therapists. I will be sure to take in the considerations that they may be using music coming from public radio; therefore, they will not have as much choice when it comes to finding songs with a "walking-pace" tempo. I am hopefully I will be able to word the instructions in a way that accommodates that possibility.