A ProSport Therapist Reveals: 6 Top Tips For Performing Your Physiotherapy Exercises
Craig Morland| July 14, 2022
Have you been to physiotherapy before and it hasn’t worked?
Have you been prescribed exercises that you do not have the time to do or do not understand why you are doing them?
You may have stopped doing them as you were not sure if you were doing them right? Even worse, they didn’t make a difference to your pain?
When you come for physiotherapy you will most certainly be given exercises to do at home. These exercises are meant to help rebuild your nervous system and help put and end the pain you are experiencing.
But for you, there may still be some confusion or doubt. Today we’ll put an end to that.
Read on to find out my 6 top tips to help you stay on top of your home exercise program as prescribed by your therapist.
1) Understand Why You Are Doing Them
A good therapist should always explain why you are asked to do a certain exercise in your own time. The exercise should be a stepping stone to get you pain free and back to what you love doing.
In the ProSport clinic we always make sure every patient understands WHY they’re doing a certain exercise and how it will help them reach their goals. But this isn’t the case with every therapist out there.
So, if you are unsure why you are doing something, just ask your therapist for that extra bit of clarity.
Explaining the why behind your pain and how to get pain free with our unique approach
2) Be Honest & Realistic
Be honest with your therapist when they ask how much time and energy you can give towards your exercises and how they fit into your routine.
We all have a tendency to try to please people and say yes to everything, but in this case that could do more harm than good.
If you’re not honest the therapist may not be able to give you realistic exercises to help and you will almost certainly stop doing them which will lead to the pain continuing. Be honest and be realistic.
3) Complete The Exercises With Your Daily Activities
Throughout your rehabilitation the therapist will be able to help you ‘attach’ the exercises given to a daily task.
For instance if you need to place more weight through your feet when bending the therapist will ask you to ‘squash an orange’ through the foot when bending down to tie your shoelaces.
This ensures that your exercises becomes part of your daily movements meaning you will get your exercises multiple times a day without putting in excess effort. This tip is particularly useful in the early stages of your rehabilitation.
[For example the above exercise can be done whenever you tie your shoelaces]
4) Ensure You Are Doing Them Correctly
Sometimes you’ll see your therapist, they’ll show you an exercise, you get home, and you’ve completely forgotten the movement. It happens. But for the exercise to really do its magic you have to be performing it correctly.
Here at ProSport we have created our own exercise library full of the exercises we prescribe our patients. At the end of every session these exercises are sent over to you in a video format so you can be sure you are doing the exercise correctly without being worried about making your pain worse.
[Our unique exercise library]
5) Talk To Your Therapist If You Are Struggling
At the ProSpot clinic, honesty is one of our core values but we also expect that same honesty back from patients. It’s the only way we can help you reach your dream goals and a pain-free life.
If you are struggling with a specific exercise or want the exercises to be cut down just talk to your therapist and they will help make it easier for you.
6) Remember Why You Came For Physiotherapy
If you’re struggling with the motivation to perform an exercise one day, just think back to why you picked up and phoned the clinic in the first place. You want to be pain free right? Well, exercises are a big part of that journey.
The exercises prescribed are there to get you back doing what you love as quickly as possible. If you keep on top of them you will progress quicker and give yourself the best opportunity to live a pain-free life
Final Thoughts On Your Exercises
Ultimately, it is teamwork that will get the job done. Both you and your therapist have to work together to help you reach your dream goals.
Here at ProSport we know it can be hard to fit exercises into your routine. We know motivation sometimes drops. That’s why we always want to make it as quick and simple for you.
When we prescribe an exercise we’ll take the time to explain why we are asking you to do certain movements at home and we’ll ensure you can fit these into your daily routine with minimal disruption to your busy schedule.
If you want to fix the problem long term… If you stop the pain from coming back and get back to the things you love pain free we are here to help.
All you have to do is click here to book your FREE 1-1 initial assessment in which we’ll uncover the true cause of your pain and create a bespoke treatment plan so you can get back to the activities you want and need to do.
Click here or call 01484 443173 to book your appointment today.
Why You Should Call Us
If you are able to recognise yourself as one of these people in pain, are you ARE motivated…
If you want to fix the problem long term… If you stop the pain from coming back and are going to turn up to every session then we want to help.
All you have to do is click here to book your FREE 1-1 initial assessment in which we’ll uncover the true cause of your pain and create a bespoke treatment plan so you can get back to the activities you want and need to do.
Click here or call 01484 443173 to book your appointment today