Wishful Thinking Will Only Get You So Far

I’ve been dealing with an issue with my right calf for a few months now. It’s not a blood clot, so I’ve been told, but it sure as h*** feels like one at times, and it comes and goes with no warning; it can happen while I’m eating, while I’m relaxing, or while I’m exercising, with no clear pattern.

This is my third visit to a physiotherapist, done in case it’s to do with weak ankles (which I’m not entirely convinced of, but hey ho). I explain that, despite doing my assigned exercises, I’ve experienced only slight improvement; it comes slightly less frequently.

Physiotherapist: “If zero is no improvement and 100% is completely improved, where would you say you fit on that scale?”

Me: “Seven, at best.”

She notes that and then goes over what exercises I’m actually doing. She briefly circles back to that statement a couple of minutes later:

Physiotherapist: “…but 70% improvement is really good, actually.”

Me: “I didn’t say seventy, I said seven.”

Physiotherapist: “Yes, seven out of ten. That’s 70%.”

Me: “You said out of 100! Seven out of 100 is 7%.”

Physiotherapist: “Fine.”

She moved on quickly from that, but I’ve been feeling rather niggled by it. Does 100% mean ten in physiotherapy speak, and I just didn’t get the memo?