Chatgpt is a tool
Let’s explore the pro’s and con’s of using chatgpt for injuries.
I prompted the ai tool to write me a outline of a 3 step rehab program based on how I treat: “calm shit down, build shit up, return to sport”. Honestly, it’s pretty good. With a few tweaks, I more or less do everything it listed when it’s applicable to the patient in front of me.
Here it is:
Stage 1: Calm Shit Down
Goal: Reduce pain, inflammation, and protect injured tissue while maintaining overall function.
Education & Expectations
Explain injury, expected healing timeline, and stages of rehab.
Emphasize active recovery and avoiding complete rest (unless indicated).
Load Management
Modify aggravating activities rather than eliminate all movement.
Use pain as a guide (e.g., <4/10 pain during, no worse after).
Pain Modulation Strategies
Modalities: Ice/heat, TENS, manual therapy as appropriate.
Taping or bracing for support if needed short-term.
Maintain General Conditioning
Non-involved limb/cardio (e.g., bike, pool work, upper body ergometer).
Strengthening of the affected area scaled down to tolerance; consider starting with isometrics (pain-relieving and loading benefit).
Movement Quality
Early mobility and controlled range of motion (as tolerated).
Address compensatory patterns (especially gait/posture).
Stage 2: Build Shit Up
Goal: Restore mobility, strength, endurance, and neuromuscular control in the injured region.
Progressive Overload
Begin with low-load, high-rep strength (endurance).
Progress to hypertrophy, strength, and power based on the sport demands.
Use isolated > compound > functional > sport-specific progression.
Motor Control & Coordination
Proprioception and balance work (e.g., single-leg drills, perturbations).
Reintegrate fundamental movement patterns (squat, hinge, push/pull, lunge, rotate).
Mobility & Stability Integration
Joint-specific mobility drills (e.g., ankle dorsiflexion, hip IR).
Stabilization through range (e.g., core control, scapular stability).
Energy System Development
Restore cardiovascular fitness and sport-relevant conditioning.
Introduce work-to-rest ratios that mirror sport demands.
Stage 3: Return to Sport Considerations
Goal: Ensure safe and effective reintegration into sport with minimal risk of reinjury.
Sport-Specific Load Tolerance
Gradual reintroduction to skills, speed, and intensity (e.g., sprinting, cutting, throwing).
Position- or role-specific drills and decision-making under fatigue.
Performance Testing & Benchmarks
Side-to-side strength/power symmetry (ideally >90%).
Hop tests, agility, sprint mechanics, or workload monitoring.
Psychological readiness (fear avoidance, confidence scales).
Return to Practice → Competition Progression
Controlled practice → full practice → limited competition → full return.
Communication with coaches/trainers throughout.
Preventive Strategy
Ongoing strength and mobility program to reduce reinjury risk.
Load monitoring, warm-up routines (e.g., FIFA 11+, Copenhagen, Nordic).
If a patient did all of this, I bet they would have a successful return to sport and probably wouldn’t need my help anymore.
There are a couple problems that should be mentioned using chatgpt for healthcare.
AI makes mistakes. I’ve noticed it spit out summaries of conditions and list the wrong ligaments, muscles, nerves, and/or insertions. It’s pretty darn convincing too, and I’ve even had to pull out my textbooks to confirm I wasn’t losing my marbles after I noticed that something was off. I’m optimistic the accuracy will improve with time, but right now we can’t really rely on that.
The hardest part of recovery is application. Along the journey from injury —> return to sport, there will be hurdles, setbacks, frustrations, and occasional meltdowns. For a couple hundred bucks you could buy several sports injuries for sports injuries and learn everything you’d ever need to know. The real problem is applying that knowledge consistently and overcoming the barriers that will inevitably arise along the journey. Nobody fits perfectly in the textbook definitions of any injury, and there are always wrinkles in the plan. That’s when the art of practice, the experience of a practitioner, and the therapeutic relationship can smooth the bumps and make the entire recovery journey much more comfortable and effective.
So takeaways:
If you like doing your own research - go nuts, have fun. Just remember, doing is the hardest part, no one has all the answers, and most of us do better with guidance and accountability.
If you want the help of an expert to guide you through the process, we’re here for you.
