Your Words Leave a Lasting Effect — A Note to Every Healthcare Professional

“A single throwaway comment about a "bad" exercise can plant a seed of fear that grows for years.”

I want to talk about something that comes up a lot when I'm teaching students. And honestly? It's something I think every healthcare professional — seasoned or brand new — needs to hear.

The idea of good and bad exercises.

There's No Such Thing as a Bad Exercise

I've said this before and I'll keep saying it until it sticks — there is no such thing as an inherently unsafe exercise. Short of jumping out of a plane without a parachute, movement is movement and movement is good. The human body is remarkably resilient and capable, and we do it a disservice when we slap a "dangerous" label on an exercise without considering the full picture.

Now — are there restrictions for certain people with certain conditions? Absolutely. Of course there are. Healthcare is nuanced and individual and that's exactly the point. But the blanket "you shouldn't do that" or "that exercise is bad for you"? That's where we need to be really, really careful.

The Problem With Telling People They Can't

Here's what happens the moment you tell someone they can't do something.

One of two things. Every time.

Either you scare them. Completely and utterly scare them to the point where they never want to attempt that movement again. They leave your clinic with fear lodged in their body, second guessing every squat, every lift, every step. And that fear? It can last years. It can fundamentally change the way they relate to movement and to their own body.

Or — and this is equally problematic — they immediately want to do it. Because that's human nature isn't it? Tell someone not to do something and suddenly it's all they can think about. So off they go, unsupported, uninformed, doing the very thing you told them not to do but now without any of the guidance that could have actually helped them do it safely.

Neither of those outcomes serves your patient. Neither of those outcomes is good healthcare.

It's Never That Simple

The reality is that exercise prescription — like all of healthcare — is not black and white. It is not a one size fits all answer. It is based entirely on the person sitting in front of you. Their history, their body, their goals, their fears, their capacity. What works brilliantly for one person may need to be modified for another. And that's not a reason to say no — that's a reason to say let's figure out how.

As healthcare professionals we have an enormous responsibility. People come to us vulnerable. They come to us trusting. They come to us looking for answers and guidance and reassurance. And what we say in those moments — even offhandedly, even with the best of intentions — lands deeply.

Words Are Powerful. Use Them Wisely.

I say this to my students and I mean every word of it — your words leave a lasting effect on the people you talk to.

A single throwaway comment about a "bad" exercise can plant a seed of fear that grows for years. A careless "you shouldn't do that" can strip someone of confidence in their own body that took a lifetime to build.

But the flip side is equally true. The right words — thoughtful, considered, empowering words — can change everything. They can give someone permission to move again. They can rebuild trust between a person and their body. They can open doors that fear had firmly shut.

So let's choose our words carefully. Let's ask questions before we make pronouncements. Let's remember that we are treating a whole person — not just a symptom, not just a movement pattern, not just a diagnosis.

Because our words matter. More than we sometimes realize. 💎

Nicola Robertson, Registered Physiotherapist

Diamond Physiotherapy | Belleville, Ontario

Real talk. Real progress. Real empowerment.