10 reasons why your patient disappeared
Ah, the classic physio ghosting. One moment, they’re committed to getting better, diligently nodding along as you explain their rehab plan… the next? Poof. They vanish. So why do people disappear into the void, leaving their rehab incomplete? Here are some of the most common reasons, pulled from research, forums, patient interviews, and a fair bit of real-world physio experience.
1. Logistics, AKA ‘It’s Just Too Hard’
Getting to appointments can be a nightmare—especially if you don’t drive, rely on public transport, or live in an area where traffic has a personal vendetta against you. If a clinic is inconveniently located or schedules are too rigid, some patients simply opt out.
2. The Dreaded Cost Factor
Let’s be real—physio isn’t always cheap. While it’s a solid investment in long-term health, it’s competing against groceries, rent, and that emergency coffee budget. If a patient isn’t seeing immediate value (or if insurance doesn’t cover enough), they might start questioning whether they really need to finish rehab.
3. ‘I’m Not Getting Better Fast Enough’ Syndrome
Patience is a tough sell. We live in a world where we expect next-day shipping, instant pain relief, and six-pack abs in 10 days. So when a patient doesn’t feel significantly better after a few sessions, they assume physio isn’t working and call it quits—without realising that healing isn’t an overnight process.
4. ‘Ouch, That Hurts’ (Misinterpreted Pain)
Here’s the deal: rehab isn’t always comfortable. But discomfort doesn’t mean damage—it means progress (in most cases). If patients don’t understand this, or if their pain levels increase, they might assume therapy is doing more harm than good and bail.
5. The Motivation Slump
Rehab is work. It takes effort, consistency, and sometimes doing the same ‘boring’ exercises over and over. If patients lose motivation—especially if they don’t fully understand why they’re doing something—sticking with it gets harder.
6. ‘I Just Didn’t Click With My Physio’
Not every patient-therapist relationship is a match made in heaven. If a patient feels unheard, misunderstood, or like they’re just another name on the schedule, their buy-in to treatment drops. A strong therapeutic alliance is one of the best predictors of rehab success—without it, patients are more likely to disappear.
7. Kinesiophobia: The Fear Factor
Some patients are terrified of movement (often after an injury or a bad pain experience). If they believe that moving a certain way will make things worse, they’ll actively avoid doing it—even when physio is designed to rebuild their confidence.
8. ‘Life Got In The Way’
Work, family, school, stress—sometimes life is just too much. When patients feel stretched thin, physio gets shuffled to the bottom of their priority list (just above "sort out the sock drawer" and "finally cancel that free trial from six months ago").
9. Scheduling Struggles
This one ties into logistics, but it’s a big enough issue to stand alone. If appointment times don’t align with work/life demands, or if last-minute cancellations result in long gaps between sessions, patients are more likely to just stop booking altogether.
10. Expectations vs. Reality
If a patient expects instant relief, but their rehab involves weeks of progressive strengthening, the mismatch can lead to frustration—and dropout. Setting realistic expectations upfront is key to keeping them engaged for the long haul.
How can Preve help? We’ll give you back more time in the day to do the things that matter most.