01 Feb What Should I be Doing at Home?
You just finished your PT evaluation and you noticed significant relief after the first treatment. Now what? You may find yourself asking “what do I do between sessions to speed up my recovery?” Time between appointments is just as important as the time spent in the office, if not more important! Your therapist will ask you to complete specific activities at home to help you maintain the progress and relief you gain after each treatment session. Depending on your condition, this may include one or more of the following:
- Stretching
- Exercise
- Nerve-glides
- Self-pressure
- Postural improvement
- Ergonomics
- Lifting/bending mechanics
- Recommended sleeping positions
- Footwear suggestions
- Balance training
Your home program includes specific directions on frequency, intensity and duration with each activity. Your home program will be progressed as you demonstrate progress toward your goals. On the contrary, your program will be modified if it is exacerbating symptoms. Having trouble finding time for your home program? Check out our 5 simple tips for staying consistent with your home program. (Insert link for Blog post)
When the body starts new activities and exercises, research shows that the first 4 weeks will be primarily neurological changes. This means your body will become more efficient with movement patterns before it will be able to increase muscle size and strength making it crucial to choose the proper amount of resistance and tension to allow the body to accommodate to this change. This means you will focus on quality, not quantity; for example, 10 perfect repetitions once per day vs. pushing through 50 repetitions without controlling your technique or momentum.