A good physical therapist won’t lie to you about how long it takes. Neither should you.

Honest numbers are kinder than optimistic ones, even when they sound worse. Someone who tells you twelve weeks has given you something to plan around, while a vague promise of soon leaves you failing an invisible deadline every few days. The person most likely to shade that number is you.

Write down the real expected length in weeks and tell at least one other person the number. When you catch yourself negotiating it downwards, notice that nothing about the body changed, only your patience. Ask directly what happens if you push it, because the answer tends to be specific and sobering.