Whether it’s your first visit to a Physiotherapist (lucky you!), or you’re a regular fixture at your local Physiotherapy clinic, you will no doubt walk away from each treatment with a couple of exercises to do at home. While many patients follow their Physiotherapist’s instructions to a tee, some of you may find it a little harder to complete every repetition and set each time. Hey, we get it – life gets in the way sometimes, priorities change, or you simply forget. No judgement here, it happens to the best of us!
Like most Physiotherapists, we hear from our patients of the many barriers to performing rehabilitation exercises, and we have come up with a few ways to help you get the most out of Physiotherapy and optimise your recovery.
- Set an Alarm on Your Phone
These days, many of us are largely dependent on our smartphones to tell us when to do what, where to be, and why. An hourly alarm to get up and move, a calendar pop-up to do your physio exercises twice a day, or a friendly reminder from Siri to roll out the Pilates mat, can go a long way to achieving your daily rehab target. Using the best of technology to prompt you means you complete all your physio homework, and give yourself the best chance to accelerate recovery and achieve your goals faster. Win-win!
- Do It at the Gym (or Work, or Supermarket…)
A great way to sneak in some of your exercises in the day is to make it as convenient and easy as can be. Waiting in line at the coffee shop or supermarket? Do a few calf raises. Morning tea at work? Do a set of your shoulder blade squeezes. Heading to the gym? Start your warm up with some glute bridges. Of course, not all exercises can be done as easily, so chat to your Physio about how to make rehab accessible in daily life.
- Conscious Exercise
Ever find yourself lounging in front of the TV at night and suddenly remembering you have yet to do your physio exercises? You quickly start pulling on the green theraband as you watch Netflix, and mentally pat yourself on the back for getting it done. While you may have finished your set of exercises, its effectiveness has unfortunately been diminished by a lack of attention. To optimise rehabilitation, exercises should be performed with mindful awareness, intentional movement, and few distractions. Conscious exercise allows you to activate those neuromuscular connections from the brain to the injured areas (or muscles) you are targeting. Set aside five minutes and do nothing else but the exercises you were given, and you will certainly feel a difference.
As always, we are here to help. Please feel free to speak to our professional Physiotherapists at Bend + Mend in Sydney’s CBD if you would like more information on ways to enhance your recovery.
