It’s two days after Mark’s first physical therapy appointment for his nagging knee pain. He felt confident leaving the clinic, armed with a printout of his new exercises. Now, standing in his living room, he tries to remember the therapist’s exact instructions for the “clamshell” exercise.
He lies on his side, bends his knees, and lifts the top one. “Was I supposed to keep my feet together?” he wonders, a wave of uncertainty washing over him. He tries again, focusing on keeping his hips stable. It feels awkward, and a slight twinge in his knee makes him second-guess everything. “Am I making this worse? I wish I could just ask her.”
Then, he remembers the app his therapist, Sarah, had him download. He pulls out his phone, opens the RTM app, and finds the clamshell exercise, complete with a video demonstration. After watching it a couple of times, he feels a little better but is still unsure about the sensation in his knee.
He taps the “Message Your Therapist” button.
“Hi Sarah,” he types. “I’m trying the clamshells, but I feel a little pinch in the front of my knee when I lift my leg. I watched the video, but I’m worried I’m doing it wrong. Any advice?”
He sets his phone down and continues with the other exercises he feels sure about. Less than an hour later, his phone buzzes. It’s a reply from Sarah.
“Hi Mark! Thanks for reaching out. That’s a common issue. Try not to lift your knee quite as high, and really focus on squeezing your glute muscle to initiate the movement. It shouldn’t cause any pinching. Try that and let me know how it feels.”
Mark lies back down and follows her advice. He lifts his knee only a few inches, concentrating on the muscle Sarah mentioned. This time, there’s no pinch—just a gentle burn in his hip. A sense of relief and accomplishment floods him. He quickly types back, “That did the trick! Thanks so much.”
He finishes his exercises feeling confident, knowing that his therapist is just a message away and that he’s on the right track with his recovery.
