by Phil Page PT & Dana Mackison DC

Recently, the term ‘active care’ has been used to describe rehabilitation that makes the patient an active participant in the process. In contrast to ‘passive care’ that includes modalities and manual techniques, Active Care emphasizes self-management techniques such as exercise and behavioral change. While both active and passive techniques have their place in rehabilitation, the ultimate goal is to empower the patient to take responsibility for their own care, rather than relying on the clinician.

How to Empower your Patients

Patient empowerment is accomplished by avoiding passive modalities, minimizing unnecessary visits, providing patient education, and helping the patient develop self-management strategies for preventing exacerbations.  A patient-centered approach promotes a “team” approach where patients are active participants and partners in the therapeutic process, responsible for making their own choices (Law et al. 1995).

The first step in empowering patients to take control of their care is to understand behavioral change, which is the key to adopting a healthy behavior or to stopping an unhealthy behavior. Home exercise programs and self-management strategies are most effective when behavioral factors are considered within the patient education.  Research has shown that chronic low back pain patients who combine therapeutic exercise with a motivation program have More >