I asked ChatGPT to role play the part of a patient during the final discussion in a patient evaluation. It started out a little too agreeable, so we redirected a bit.
Did you know you can use it like this?
Note: ChatGPT text in black, mine in blue. Better prompts and more description around the personality of the role ChatGPT is to play might get better responses.
Prompt: Will you please play the part of a patient during the conversation at the end of a physical therapy evaluation. I will play the physical therapist.
Sure, I can play the role of a patient during a physical therapy evaluation. Please proceed with your assessment and recommendations as the physical therapist.
To restate your goals, you would like to return to soccer at your competitive club team (boys 2006 NPL) and be able to cut and run at or faster than your previous speed
Yes, that is correct. I would like to be able to return to playing soccer at my competitive club team and be able to perform at the same level as before, including being able to cut and run at or faster than my previous speed.
Your ankle is injured and is classified as a grade 2 sprain of the anterior talocrural ligament. The strength of your evertor muscles is a 3+/5. We need your ligamentous stability to return, for you to heel and be stable. And we need your evertors strength to be much stronger at a 5+/5.
I understand. So, my ankle injury is a grade 2 sprain of the anterior talocrural ligament and my evertor muscle strength is currently at a 3+/5. You are saying that in order for me to fully recover and return to playing soccer at my competitive level, my ligamentous stability needs to improve and my evertor muscle strength needs to be much stronger at a 5+/5.
We will proceed with gentle, pain-free strengthening in the beginning, progressing to static balance activities, then onto dynamic balance, increased loading, and ultimately jumping, hopping, running, and cutting.
I understand. So, the plan is to start with gentle, pain-free exercises to strengthen my ankle and progress through static and dynamic balance activities, increase loading, and eventually work on jumping, hopping, running, and cutting. This will help me regain my ligamentous stability and improve the strength of my evertor muscles.
In order to achieve these outcomes we will need you to come in to the clinic 2 times a week for the first 4 weeks, then 1 time a week for the next 6 weeks where we will monitor and advance your strength and agility program.
I see, so in order to achieve my goals of regaining my ligamentous stability and improving the strength of my evertor muscles, you are recommending that I come in to the clinic 2 times a week for the first 4 weeks, and then 1 time a week for the next 6 weeks. During this time, you will be monitoring my progress and advancing my strength and agility program as appropriate.
Yes. How does that sound to you?
That sounds good to me. I am committed to following through with the recommended treatment plan in order to reach my goal of returning to playing soccer at my competitive level. I understand that consistency and dedication to the plan is key to my recovery.
Please repeat the responses to the conversation but as if you were a patient who did not fully understand the process or has not prioritized their goals.
I understand that I have an ankle injury and that it needs to be treated but I am not sure what you mean by “grade 2 sprain of the anterior talocrural ligament” or “evertor muscles”. I am not sure if I can commit to 2 times a week for the first 4 weeks, and then 1 time a week for the next 6 weeks, I have a lot going on and I am not sure if I can prioritize my recovery to that extent. I am not sure if I am ready to commit to a specific goal or if I am ready to go through this process.
How important is returning to competitive soccer, for you?
I am not sure how important returning to competitive soccer is for me. I do enjoy playing soccer, but I am not sure if I want to prioritize it over other aspects of my life. I am not sure if I am ready to commit to the time and effort that would be required to return to my previous level of play.
Let’s assume that you are committed to playing, but do not understand how Physical therapy will help you
I understand that my ankle is injured and that I need to have it treated, but I am not sure how physical therapy is going to help me. I am not sure what you mean by “grade 2 sprain of the anterior talocrural ligament” or “evertor muscles”. I understand that you are recommending that I come in for treatment twice a week for the first 4 weeks and then once a week for the next 6 weeks, but I am not sure how that will help me return to playing soccer. Can you please explain to me in more detail how physical therapy will help me achieve my goal of returning to competitive soccer?
Absolutely. A grade 2 sprain is a partial tear of your ligament. The anterior talocrural ligament is located here (pointing to its location) and it provides stability to the outside of the ankle, meaning that it prevents inversion, or rolling in, of the ankle beyond a certain point. But it is a static structure. That means it does not contract or work effectively throughout the range of motion. That’s why we need to work on evertor strength. Your evertor muscles pull and move your foot and ankle outward, to the side. They also dynamically control inversion, that inward movement, so they can help prevent future sprains.
I understand now, so my ankle injury is a partial tear of a ligament that provides stability to the outside of my ankle, and to recover from this injury, I need to work on the strength of the muscles that are responsible for controlling the outward movement of my foot and ankle. By going through physical therapy and working on my evertor muscle strength, I will be able to regain the stability of my ankle and prevent future sprains. And by doing specific exercises for my ankle, such as balance, agility and strength exercises, it will help me to improve my performance and return to playing soccer at a competitive level.
Yes. And improving the strength of your evertor muscles, as well as recovering your proprioception, the sense of where you are in space, will also help with your cutting and lateral and rotational movement while playing soccer.
I understand now. Improving the strength of my evertor muscles and proprioception will not only help me regain stability in my ankle but also improve my cutting, lateral, and rotational movements which are essential for playing soccer. And coming to physical therapy twice a week for the first 4 weeks and once a week for the next 6 weeks is a good plan to follow to reach my goals. I am willing to commit to this plan to reach my goal of returning to competitive soccer.
How could you use this for staff training? Imagine what it will be like when GPT4 comes out later in the year. What could you do then?