Body Image and PT School

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Do you think your personal weight affects your credibility as a PT?

  • Yes

    Votes: 42 71.2%
  • No

    Votes: 5 8.5%
  • Depends

    Votes: 12 20.3%

  • Total voters
    59

IrisSong

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Hello Everyone,

I've recently joined SDN because I've observed how supportive and informative the forums can be! I'm writing now because I am a current physical therapy student and I was wondering if body image was a problem for anyone during their time in a PT program and how they dealt with it other than working out and trying to develop a thicker skin.

Did anyone attend a program that was more sensitive to this issue and try to control the environment accordingly? I'm just curious, because I feel it's not addressed much where I am nor is it necessarily handled well when the issue does arise. It's concerning to me that I am encountering this in the profession that should require sensitivity and respectfulness when handling another person's body.

Has anyone else experienced the perception that PT's shouldn't be overweight or the perception that PT's whom are more fit are regarded as "better" PT's?

I know this is a personal issue, but it's also an issue I feel that may not be well addressed within the profession and I was wondering if it was just me. What do others have to say about the issue?

I'm interested. Thanks!

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In PT school, we preach a no judgement zone. However, I do understand your concern and it does not end with body image/mechanics. Everyone has their own personal biases. One of my classmates is notorious for telling other students why they will be bad PTs, whether it's because of leisure mechanics, diet, etc. There is always that one, right? Haha... However, as a professional, patients also have a level of trust given to us as they step through the doors. Let your skills alleviate any hesitation or skepticism the patient may have.

People come in all shapes, sizes and color. These characteristics do not define a PT. Knowledge, actions and behavior, however, does. Best of luck to you.
 
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I agree 100% with the perception that PTs who are more fit are regarded as better PTs / trusted more by the public compared to PTs who are completely out of shape.
Think about it, would you take medical advice from a doctor who smokes and is morbidly obese? Probably not. Same thing goes for PTs.

Imagine you are seeing a runner in your outpatient orthopedic clinic who developed ITBS from running too much with the wrong form. And you want to tell the runner that for the sake of their health and knees they should cut back on their mileage. That message would be a whole lot better received were it coming from someone who was in decent shape compared to someone 100lbs overweight.

I dont believe anyone has to be a super athlete / swim suit model to be a PT. All im saying is that because it is a health profession, PTs should have generally good health / exercise habits.
 
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Like the others have said, I think if we are to educate patients on their own physical (and many times psychological) health, it's important to show our patients that we "practice what we preach". We don't have to have six packs and bulging muscles and be swimsuit models, but we should emit that persona of being healthy and practicing healthful habits, e.g. regular physical activity, avoiding drugs/smoking, etc. It improves our credibility to our patients.

Just for an example, there was a study done a few years ago on the attire of physical therapists. This study compared polo/slacks vs. long-sleeve button-up/dress pants vs. scrubs vs. white coat and the perceptions of patients on the professionalism and abilities of the PTs in the different groups. There were significant differences in the perceptions and trust patients attributed to the different groups. The same can be said for how we present ourselves health-wise. Sometimes first impressions stick and are hard to remedy.
 
I suppose I am more forgiving of the public in its judgment of the appearance/physique/attire of a clinician than I am of my peers and their judgment of the appearance of colleagues. Mostly, I resent the pressure to "keep up appearances" while in school because school is one of the reasons my gym time has fallen by the wayside.

I was hoping the public was more forgiving of the physical appearance of PT's than they are of personal trainers, because my physique would never pass for a personal trainer. I'm thinking physical appearance is more related to the setting/speciality. Sports PT may require a certain "physique" to help bolster credibility whereas in an SNF or Acute care setting bulging muscles wouldn't be as relevant.

My feelings are that I will probably be better received by the public than by my peers; whom I mostly feel uncomfortable around. I'm not sure why. I just have this impression that they want to make our class/school representative of "the best"......to include that everyone is fit.

I personally hate that emphasis is placed on appearances because I feel our knowledge should speak for itself, you know? Also, PT's are human.......and just like other humans, sometimes our weight is indirectly related to an injury. I just feel like it's a double standard to be healthy and perfectly fit in order to be credible to patients, some of whom are not well at all. That's why I think being "fit" is more relevant to society at large (that is, being "fit" helps our credibility as physical therapists to society at large) than to patients.
 
...it's important to show our patients that we "practice what we preach."

Just for an example, there was a study done a few years ago on the attire of physical therapists.

Where was this study? Can you provide a link? Which form of attire had the best perception? I like wearing polo shirts and khakis, but I think as a profession we need to look professional. Most people think we're glorified personal trainers or massage therapists and simply take orders from physicians. If we're going to expand our scope of practice and take control of our profession, we need to look like clinicians.

Our society places too much emphasis on looks and falsely equates thinness with good health. Nonetheless it is somewhat hypocritical for PTs to use poor body mechanics, have bad posture, and have a sedentary lifestyle. How can we expect patients to sit correctly, exercise, use good body mechanics, and take preventative measures if we don't ourselves?
 
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Mercer E, MacKay-Lyons M, Conway N, Flynn J, Mercer C. Perceptions of Outpatients Regarding the Attire of Physiotherapists. Physiother Can. 2008;60(4):349-357.

I've also attached the article.
 

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Mercer E, MacKay-Lyons M, Conway N, Flynn J, Mercer C. Perceptions of Outpatients Regarding the Attire of Physiotherapists. Physiother Can. 2008;60(4):349-357.

I've also attached the article.

Thanks so much for attaching the article. I'm really interested in giving this a read! Thanks! :)
 
Hello Everyone,

I've recently joined SDN because I've observed how supportive and informative the forums can be! I'm writing now because I am a current physical therapy student and I was wondering if body image was a problem for anyone during their time in a PT program and how they dealt with it other than working out and trying to develop a thicker skin.

Did anyone attend a program that was more sensitive to this issue and try to control the environment accordingly? I'm just curious, because I feel it's not addressed much where I am nor is it necessarily handled well when the issue does arise. It's concerning to me that I am encountering this in the profession that should require sensitivity and respectfulness when handling another person's body.

Has anyone else experienced the perception that PT's shouldn't be overweight or the perception that PT's whom are more fit are regarded as "better" PT's?

I know this is a personal issue, but it's also an issue I feel that may not be well addressed within the profession and I was wondering if it was just me. What do others have to say about the issue?

I'm interested. Thanks!

One of my friends's girlfriend has Type 2 Diabetes, and had an appointment with a dietician. She noticed that the dietician was extremely overweight, and immediately got up and said there was no way she could listen to her advice, since she clearly can't follow it herself.

I believe that this is an example of how those involved in health professions definitely need to walk the talk if they want their patients to take them seriously.
 
Well, it seems there is a consensus thus far in that regard.


I'm outlier, I suppose. I think a PT should only be required to be as fit as their job physically requires. Yes, we're promoting healthy active lifestyles, but I'm still not sure why that means a PT should look like a personal trainer. I think cops should be fit if they work a beat. I think fire fighters should be fit in general. As far as doctors go, I don't really care if they are overweight, as long as they give me sound medical advice (they're jobs are pretty stressful). I'm not sure how I would feel about a dietician being overweight......I know enough nutrition to know if they are giving me bad advice, but I suppose if I had no information whatsoever, then I could understand how a person being overweight may give a bad impression.
 
I'm more for skill set > appearance. We generally have more time to gain the trust of our patients. I consider myself fit, but I would not hold anything against a clinician who may appear not to be. I know of heavier set "looking" patients who can out lift and out distance run slimmer, more "fit" looking individuals. Appearance itself can be deceiving of fitness and health. I believe it is our responsibility to pass some of this knowledge to our patients. Your comment on demographics is also valid. Our aquatics guest speaker admitted he is obese (he didn't have to tell us...), yet he spends most of his treatments in the therapy pool. Also, Lord forbid PTs age.

However, as with everything, I do have my limits. I wouldn't trust a PT who has grease stains on their shirt while preaching to me about why I should not eat burgers (I'm exaggerating of course) or is SOB in between walking from their office to greeting me at the lobby. As we have red flags for patients, we also have to be cognizant that patients may have red flags for PTs.
 
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Azimuth, I'm currently watching American Ninja Warrior and, yes, appearances can be "deceiving" (in various ways) in terms of "fitness and health" (maybe "function" or "performance" would be better terms) in the sense that lanky guys and bigger, bulkier guys can do equally well on the course. Elsewhere, skinnier guys may not be necessarily leaner, but de-conditioned. Of course, one thing you will never see on American Ninja Warrior is someone with a big "beer belly" doing well on the course (or even doing the course at all). On other TV shows such as Wipe Out and So You Think You Can Dance, however, I've seen obese guys (a select few) move extraordinarily well considering their stature.


I appreciate everyone sharing their honest/genuine comments and perspectives on the matter. I understand appearance is important on different levels in terms of professionalism and credibility and its nice to have different viewpoints that rounds out my perspective.
 
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I'm about to begin PT school in the fall so I'm unsure how our program addresses this issue but from a professional standpoint I would think that, yes some people will judge you by your looks. That being said, they will judge your skill and knowledge much more. If a cardiologist is fit but fumbles with his words and can't explain a procedure to me, I'm going to be scared. If he's overweight but speaks with confidence and intelligence and comes with years of experience and recommendations, I could care less what he looks like. It's his brain and his hands I need, not his body.

I believe your skills are going to make or break you. Your personality and bed side manner are going to be what bring people back to see you if they need additional therapy. Your appearance can distract from that if you are slovenly or extremely obese but so long as you are professional in you appearance it won't matter that much. I'm sure this depends on the setting that you are in, but, most likely, we are rehabbing people's injuries not "getting them into shape."

I will also say from some experience as a personal trainer. Many, if not most, average clients that I trained in a women's gym prefered a trainer who isn't in tip top shape - healthy but not ripped. A person in phenomenal shape is often intimidating to the average American who, unfortunately, is overweight/out of shape. I would think this might be even more so in a PT clinic. When you are in a group of fit twenty year olds in PT class it's hard to remember but most people aren't nearly so slim and trim.

But that's just my two cents and of course it's important for our own well being that we be healthy and physically active.
 
One more thought - sorry, as you can tell I have a little passion about this topic due to my own body image issues. I'm not sure how this issue has come up for you in school but if anyone has made comments to you about your size, weight, etc. - tell them they better get used to dealing with people with some meat on their bones - 69% of American's over 20 are overweight and 30% are obese. Might as well get practice on what you will encounter in the real world.

Okay I'm done with my rant. :)
 
One more thought - sorry, as you can tell I have a little passion about this topic due to my own body image issues. I'm not sure how this issue has come up for you in school but if anyone has made comments to you about your size, weight, etc. - tell them they better get used to dealing with people with some meat on their bones - 69% of American's over 20 are overweight and 30% are obese. Might as well get practice on what you will encounter in the real world.

Okay I'm done with my rant. :)

Or...sing to them...

"I don't think you ready for this jelly
I don't think you ready for this jelly
I don't think you ready for this
Cause my body too bootylicious for ya babe..."
 
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I'm on the heavier side but I'm also 6 feet so it balances well on my frame. I never felt that my size negatively affected a patient's perception of me. That being said, I did feel like a hypocrite listening in class to the type II diabetes epidemic being directly related to being overweight. Since leaving the classroom setting, I've lost 40+ pounds and feel much better.

Also, certain settings require a lot of physical demand and you can't use your weight as an excuse. Our job is physical in nature. I understand you stance on knowledge/skill set but you can't escape the physical component involved in lifting patients that require max A, transfers, etc. So don't become healthy for the sake of looking the part, do it to be the best PT you can possibly be.
 
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Our job is physical in nature. I understand you stance on knowledge/skill set but you can't escape the physical component involved in lifting patients that require max A, transfers, etc. So don't become healthy for the sake of looking the part, do it to be the best PT you can possibly be.

Good point. I was thinking of it from a 'judging by appearance' point of view but we certainly want to be able to do our jobs well and our job can be physically demanding at times. Part of our skill set is the ability to physically move people (and do it safely) and we should be up to the task.
 
If you are working inpatient, or acute care, none of your patients will care at all what you look like or wear. All they'll care about is getting out of bed, or regaining enough mobility to get out of the hospital. I imagine that the importance of dress and appearance is much greater in outpatient ortho or sports settings.
 
I do think it just seems better to look like an expert on body function by being a living embodiment of good physical hygiene. I personally would feel that a muscular person knows his stuff better because he is able to apply it to his own body. my class of 50 had two extremely overweight people and I wonder how that will affect them later on
 
As another poster said, I think in acute or certain inpatient settings no one will care. In outpatient and ortho, it's probably perceived better if you look somewhat fit. However, if your knowledge shows you know what you're doing then patients will look past first impressions. This is PT, not personal training (where you HAVE to be FIT!)

I think it's no different from a person who has the the 2 foot long beard, 8 feet long dreadlocks, or arms full of tattoos. At first the patient will be like, "woah, will a person like this be any good?!" Then after the Eval and you know exactly what you're doing and you show it, no one will care what you look like. I think it only matters to first impressions. Again, being fit/looking clean cut is icing on the cake, but not mandatory.
 
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