What is 5% better?

Talking Rehab with Dr. Fred Bagares

🎙️ Episode 65 – What is 5% Better?

Podcast: Talking Rehab with Dr. Fred Bagares
Length: ~13 minutes

Description:
When a patient tells you they're “only 5% better,” what do you do with that? For some, it sounds like failure. But for rehab clinicians, that 5% could be the spark that changes everything.

In this episode of Talking Rehab, Dr. Fred Bagares unpacks the deeper meaning behind small gains, the psychology of progress, and how pain may not be the best marker for recovery. From subtle shifts to signs of momentum, he explores why tracking real-world wins—not just pain scores—might be the key to helping patients rebuild not just function, but identity.

⏱️ Timestamps + Episode Guide

[00:00:00] What is rehab? + Podcast intro
[00:01:00] The patient story: a limp, an injection, and a vague “5% better”
[00:02:00] What 5% really means in clinical decision-making
[00:03:00] Pain is noisy—why it's not always the best indicator of progress
[00:04:00] External influences on pain perception (sleep, stress, weather)
[00:05:00] Subtle signs of recovery: function, not just pain
[00:06:00] Rehab momentum: how sleep can signal real improvement
[00:07:00] Reframing recovery: repetition, trust, and invisible milestones
[00:08:00] 5% as a turning point, not a finish line
[00:09:00] Why great clinicians dig deeper into small wins
[00:10:00] Tracking the right metrics: ease, motion, movement by choice
[00:11:00] Coaching better reflection: "What felt easier this week?"
[00:12:00] Identity and recovery: why 5% might mean “I’m still in there”
[00:13:00] Wrap-up: honoring the small wins and building from them

🧠 Key Takeaway:
5% isn’t failure. It’s data. It’s a signal. It’s the start of a comeback.

💬 Question for You:
What would 10% better look like in your life?

🔁 If this episode resonated, please share it with a colleague or patient who’s struggling with slow progress. Let’s reframe recovery—one small win at a time.

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