How Gratitude Supports Physical Recovery

Most people think of physical therapy as a journey of muscles, joints, tendons, and exercises. And it is. But anyone who has navigated recovery from pain or injury also knows this: healing isn’t just physical. It’s emotional. It’s mental. It’s personal. This Gratitude Month, we’re exploring a powerful, science-backed tool that can support your recovery just as much as strengthening or mobility work: gratitude. 

What Gratitude Really Does for the Brain and Body 

I recently listened to a Huberman Lab podcast episode: "The science of a Gratitude Practice and how to cultivate one" that was shared with me and was surprised to learn some of these concepts, so I wanted to share them with you. It's a very "sciency" episode, so I'm breaking it down here. Gratitude isn’t just positive thinking. Neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman explains that gratitude activates specific neural pathways in the brain linked to motivation, connection, and resilience. Research shows that consistent gratitude practice can: 

•  Lower stress and reduce inflammation markers in the body 
•  Shift your mindset from frustration to progress 
•  Increase motivation and follow-through on recovery exercises 
•  Improve emotional resilience during tough phases of healing 
•  Strengthen feelings of connection and hope 

Why Gratitude Matters in Physical Therapy

Recovering from an injury isn’t always linear. There are ups and downs. Some days feel easy and empowering; others feel slow or discouraging. This is where gratitude becomes a recovery tool—not just a mindset trick. Gratitude helps by: 

•  Reducing the brain’s "defensive" stress response that leads to tension and worry 
•  Reinforcing effort and progress by reminding your brain why recovery matters 
•  Improving consistency, which is the #1 predictor of physical therapy outcomes 

 The Most Effective Gratitude Practice (According to Neuroscience) 

 Most of us have heard of gratitude lists like "I’m grateful for my family" or "I’m grateful for my health.” While that’s helpful, Huberman points out that the most powerful form of gratitude involves a story. Research shows gratitude works best when you: Recall a real moment when someone helped you – especially a moment that made a difference. Feel what that help meant to you – let the emotion sink in for 1–3 minutes. Reflect on the impact – how it changed you or supported your journey. This could be a moment from your recovery, or any time in your life—big or small. 

A Simple 3-Minute Gratitude Exercise for Recovery 

Try this after your PT session or home exercises:  

Step 1: Choose your gratitude story. Example: "When I felt stuck and frustrated, my therapist adjusted my exercises and encouraged me. That support helped me believe I could move forward." 

Step 2: Write 2–3 short bullet points 

•  What was happening before the help 
•  The help you received 
•  How it made you feel 

 Step 3: Read and reflect for 1–3 minutes Breathe. Let yourself feel the gratitude. Notice how your body responds. Repeat 3 times per week. 

Why This Works 

This type of practice activates a part of your brain that drives "approach behavior" — motivation, effort, and willingness to engage. That means gratitude doesn’t just make you feel good. It makes you more likely to stay consistent with your recovery. 

 

Try the Gratitude + Recovery Challenge for the next 30 days: Do your gratitude reflection 3x per week.  Pair it with your PT sessions or home exercises.  Notice how your mindset and motivation change over time.  

Final Thoughts 

Recovery is more than repetition — it’s resilience. Gratitude doesn’t ignore challenges; it gives you the emotional fuel to overcome them. Whether you're rebuilding strength, restoring mobility, or getting back to the activities you love, gratitude is a powerful partner in the process. 

Looking for support in your recovery journey? I'm here for you. Simply call or text (414-405-3956) or email me (1212bodyworks@gmail.com) to schedule. 

Stay tuned this month for more recovery mindset tools designed to support your body and your brain. 

Fall Prevention Strategies you don't want to miss!

The following statistics regarding falls are staggering, literally. (Shared from my recent continuing education course "Helping Patients Stay on their Feet")

    • In 2019, over 8 million older American had a fall-related injury 

    • Resulting in more than 34,000 deaths (93 older adults per day) 

    • More than 1 in 3-4 older adults (28%) fall each year 

    • Approximately 36 millions falls annually 

    • Falls in older adults cost healthcare system approximately $50 billion dollars in 2015 

Holy cow!! That is a LOT of money! Not to mention waaaay too many people affected by falls!  

The best Fall Prevention Strategy of them all is to work on your balance reactions and challenge yourself to improve your strength and stability regularly.  As you likely know by now, helping clients improve their balance has been a long-time passion of mine. Teaching the weekly Balance & Stability group fitness class at the Wisconsin Athletic Club has been an absolute joy, and it's already been over a year since I started teaching. During this time, I've had multiple class attendees, who are regulars, come up to me and share stories of how their commitment to our class and the strategies we practice regularly have positively impacted their life. 

"I was told that my blood pressure & cholesterol were in a range that required medication. I told the doctor to give me some time to make some lifestyle changes and then we would recheck. After 8 months of taking regular walks, taking this Balance Class, and doing a weekly yoga class, my numbers are now all in the healthy range!!"  -Mary (70 y.o.)

"I'm able to keep up with my grandkids and get up and down from the floor much better since we started this class!" -Kathy (68 y.o)

"I recently had my gall bladder removed. I was able to use my feet to pick things up off of the floor while I was recovering and couldn't bend forward. I wouldn't have been able to do that if it weren't for practicing doing that in our Balance Class!" -Karrie (53 y.o.)

"We went on vacation with another couple from class, and had to walk across a log to get to the other side of a creek, and we said, 'Emily would be proud of us that we all did it!'" -John (75 y.o.)

I just love hearing their success stories! I just wish the classroom was bigger and even more people could come and join us and enhance their balance too. 

I decided it would be fun to share some of my favorite balance exercises here with you. This is a document I created to share with the Humble Warrior Wellness and Yoga organization this summer at their annual retreat. These exercises can be incorporated weekly, even while doing other activities at home to "stack" your habits and be sure to get them in. 

Balance Exercises

Let me know how these go for you and which ones you like best. If you are interested in giving my Balance Class a try, reach out for a free pass to the WAC. I'd love to have you join me! 

My prayer for you is to stay active, vibrant, and functionally independent as long as you possibly can and stay away from becoming part of the above statistics! You can do this!! : )