Functional care asks a simple question: what can't you do right now that you need or want to do?
"Functional" is a word that gets used a lot and explained very little. Here is what it actually means at Clear Lake Integrative Medicine.
Function is about real movement
Functional care means evaluating how your body performs during real movement, not just how it feels when it is sitting still. We want to see what happens when you actually ask your body to work.
Can you bend, rotate, walk, lift, reach, squat, or return to your sport without the problem getting in the way?
Treatment connects to your goal
Once we understand which real movements are limited, treatment decisions get connected directly to the activity you want restored. If your goal is to golf, we care about rotation. If your goal is to keep up with your kids, we care about squatting, lifting, and stamina.
Progress is measured in function
This also changes how we measure success. Progress is measured in what you can do, not only in tenderness or a pain rating. Less pain is welcome, but restored ability is the real finish line.
Your goal becomes part of the treatment plan, not an afterthought.
Your goal becomes part of the treatment plan.