Father’s Day is almost here! Instead of walking up and down the aisles of Canadian Tire and Home Depot we have a better alternative for finding pops that perfect gift – physical therapy. That’s right, by booking a session for your dad you will be taking the first step to a better quality of life for the man who has selflessly done so much for his beloved family. Tugged at those heart strings enough? Good, now here’s why this Father’s Day gift is a great idea.
5 Reasons Why Getting Your Dad Into Physical Therapy is the Greatest Father’s Day Gift of All
1. The Years of Being Dad Have Taken It’s Toll on His Body
The years or even decades of tossing you up in the air, playing hockey or b-ball in the driveway, and carrying the luggage load on family trips have taken their toll on his muscles and joints, even if he refuses to admit it. If you’ve noticed that dad takes a little longer to spring into action or tries to hide chronic aches and pains as you jog (etc.) together then it’s time to get this stubborn fellow into physical therapy.
2. The Average Father Suffers an Acute Injury 22 Times a Year
Slowly creeping chronic pains aside, there is a certain level of trauma (not related to losing bachelorhood) associated with being a father to young children. A recent study reported by the Daily Mail delivered a staggering statistic – the average father suffers 22 injuries a year due to roughhousing with the kids. That’s right – at some point (or 22 times a year) you have inflicted an acute injury on your dad. Gifting him with a physical therapy session (or a dozen) is the least you can do!
3. Less Missed Work = Less Stress
Chronic and acute pain alike are responsible for numerous sick days, beyond what most corporate benefit packages cover. In fact, data show that chronic pain is costs Canadians (dads included) billions of dollars a year. And when they suck it up, as they too often half to do, suffering through work dramatically reduces productivity and if they own the business, hurts profitability too. For this reason alone we’re seeing more and more businesses institute physiotherapy programs in the office and workplace environment. Long story short, the more work your dad misses the more stressed he gets as financial concerns and lost opportunity for advancement weigh heavy on his head. And did we mention that headaches, which can also be fixed by physiotherapy, are impacting his career performance too?
But wait, we’re telling you that less work and more time at home means more stress? Yes. Of course, there are the aforementioned financial ramifications to consider, but a recent study by the Journal of Science and Medicine also finds dads (and moms too) are more stressed at home than they are at work – citing the fact that coming home to a mess, neglected homework, and the rest can in fact be more anxiety inducing than whatever it is they deal with “at the office”. Wonder who’s to blame for that (wink, nudge)?
4. It Will Help His Golf Game
Ask most dads what they want to do on Father’s Day and more often than not you’ll get “play golf” as a response. That’s great and all, but have you ever watched your dad play golf? There isn’t a green jacket in his future anytime soon. But by getting him into a physiotherapy clinic with a focus on improving his golf game (or whatever activity of choice he prefers) you will help him shave strokes off his performance, and for that, he will be forever grateful.
5. Selfish Reasons
Admittedly there are selfish reasons for wanting to get your dad through the doors of your local physical therapy clinic. You see, it’s pretty much fact that regular physical therapy makes one a better parent. It affords them a more pain-free existence, more sleep, helps extend life by mitigating the risk of numerous life-threatening ailments (stroke, obesity, etc.), and helps them keep up with you and the grandkids to come one day, if they’re not already here. In being a better parent, things end up being better for you. But don’t worry, because that’s all dad really wants anyways.
Contact us today to schedule your dad’s first session.
Some Closing Physical Therapy “Dad Jokes”
“A gingerbread man walks into the clinic and complains that his knee hurts. The physical therapist says, ‘Have you tried icing it?’”
“A young man is sitting on the examination table. ‘It hurts here,’ he says, pressing his side. ‘Here,’ he says, pressing his leg. ‘And here,’ he says, pressing his arm. The PT performs a full examination. After a long pause, she turns to the man and says, ‘looks like you’ve got a broken finger!”
“I had a patient who was a dairy farmer… so I gave him a calf stretch.”