Do Your Homework: Keeping Up with Physical Therapy

Physical therapy is truly a gift. Not are you receiving personalized pain relief, but you get to learn customized exercises that will keep you healthy and at peak performance for many years to come. Who would want to turn down an opportunity like that? It does sound great on paper, but even the best of us need a reminder to do our physical therapy exercises off the clock. If you’re looking for some inspiration, this is it. Learn how and why to keep up with your physical therapy and know that you can do it! 

Stick With Your Exercises
There’s a reason we recommend doing your exercises outside of appointments. Like anything in life, you can’t get perfection without practice. Your body is constantly changing, and it doesn’t stop after you leave the gym for the day. What happens to your health is up to you, and continuing your recommended physical therapy exercises daily or weekly between appointments is what’s going to help you heal faster and fully recover.

Get Into a Routine
Like riding a bicycle (a great exercise, by the way!), doing your at-home exercises over and over makes them impossible to forget. Your physical therapy appointment may be on a consistent day or at a consistent time each week. It’s the same for our exercises. When your therapist gives you a set of exercises to do at home, you’re most likely to remember them if you have a set schedule. Pick a time each day to work on yourself until it becomes a routine. It can be in the morning before breakfast, or after the kids go to bed. Either way, committing 15 minutes a day will make your physical therapist proud, and your body happy!

Have Accountability
Pro tip: routines get easier when a friend is involved! An accountability partner keeps you focused and makes it twice as hard to get out of exercising. Find a friend or practice your exercises with the whole family. 

Adapt to the Circumstances
Your physical therapist will be more than happy to suggest modified exercises you can do at work or on the go. Even if you can’t do push-ups at your desk, you still might be able to do some stretches and leg lifts while writing that email. Ask your physical therapist how to incorporate your physical therapy exercises while out and about. Maybe you can do calf exercises while sitting down, or practice balancing while your oatmeal is in the microwave. These little things add up. Just remember that every little bit counts.

Take advantage of your time at i’move. We’re here to offer flexible appointments or exercises that fit your fitness. Whatever level you’re at, we want to help you grow.