Getting the Most Out of Physical Therapy: 6 Home Strategies

If you are recovering from injury or surgery, physical therapy often plays a key role in getting back to normal, or as close to it as possible. But you're going to have work to do — and not just during the time you get to spend with your therapist.

Patients typically visit their therapist two or three times a week for sessions that last about an hour. That isn't nearly enough time to get the long-term outcome you want.

Instead, much of your success will rely on what you put into your therapy and how well you communicate and work with your therapist.

Think of your in-clinic sessions as building blocks for your therapy. This is where your therapist will assess your progress, plan for the future and give you the tools needed to get there. This includes a home exercise program that will be responsible for many of your significant gains.

6 Daily Strategies for Successful Physical Therapy Recovery

• Make it a part of your daily routine. This applies to the work you are doing at home. Find a specific time of the day when you can work on your recovery. For example, you might set aside 30 minutes every morning before you start your day. This can be a more effective approach than trying to find random points each day.
• Employ microbursts of activity. If the demands of life make it impossible to set aside a block of time every day, you can break up your routine to fit it around your schedule. Your exercises don't need to be done all at the same time to provide benefits. For example, you could do your heel raises while brushing your teeth or squats while waiting for your coffee.
• Set goals and track your progress. Your therapist will track your progress throughout the course of your treatment. This could include periodic measurements of your flexibility and strength to show how far you have progressed. You may also want to set more concrete goals. These will vary based on the reason you are in therapy. Examples include putting on your shoes and socks without assistance, running without hip pain or touching the floor with your fingers.
• Adapt exercises to fit your home. When you are working with your therapist in the clinic, you may be overwhelmed by the variety of equipment options available. But that doesn't mean you need to run out and buy a bunch of exercise gear for an effective workout at home. Talk with your therapist about how you might use everyday items found in your home. For example, instead of buying a set of dumbbells, you can lift a grocery bag loaded with canned goods. There are some instances where your therapist may suggest purchasing equipment, particularly if you have a specific goal that would benefit from a specific exercise tool.
• Find a workout partner. From a motivation perspective, it may help to have someone else keep you accountable. This could be a workout partner who is doing similar exercises or just someone who works out at the same time. If this isn't an option, ask a friend or family member to check in with you periodically to keep you on track.
• Be honest with your therapist about what you are doing at home. It is difficult, if not impossible, to have a solid relationship with your therapist if you aren't honest. That includes being open about how much work you are doing at home and the reasons why you may be lagging. Your therapist may be able to modify the exercise routine. For example, instead of asking you to do 10 different exercises, your therapist may be able to streamline your homework into a set of two or three key exercises.

This content is not AI generated.