Today, we’re going to talk about the most important and hands down most powerful treatment technique in Physiotherapy. And who better to deliver this technique than YOU.
All physiotherapists will completely agree with me when I say that the most important aspect of a successful treatment plan is a Home Exercise Program (HEP). Anything we do in the clinic has to be complemented by the exercises you follow up with at home.
Why Do I Need to Work?
A standard visit to your physiotherapist will include an initial assessment. During the assessment, your physio will ask you questions about your symptoms, do a physical assessment, and then talk about your possible physiotherapy diagnosis. So, a LOT of talking. What we are trying to establish, or gain more information about, is your daily routine, your work routine, your hobbies –so we can prepare a home exercise program based on that. Home exercise programs will involve an education component – things to do, things to avoid, and things to be careful of, along with a group of exercises. These exercises are created with your diagnosis, your routine, and your pain in mind.
The whole idea behind giving home exercises is to maintain the continuity of treatment, even when you are not seeing your physio. So, if you are in for 2 visits per week, the rest of the days, you are basically continuing your treatment!
Therefore, the exercises become very crucial.
What Happens If I Don’t Do Them?
A lot of times, patients will come in saying “I only feel better on the days of treatment.” More often than not, the reason behind this is the missed days of no treatment between the sessions. The key to that is your Home Exercise Program. A good education session helps you in understanding what the cause of your symptoms could be and the HEP works at eliminating/modifying that cause.
What Does a HEP Include?
The home exercises can include a variety of types of exercises. In general, they can include:
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Stretching program
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Strengthening program
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Postural exercises
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Aerobic exercises
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Do’s and don’ts
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Range of motion exercises
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Warm up/cool down exercises
These exercises are modified as your rehabilitation progresses to keep up with your recovery.
Footprint uses a special software program that takes the exercises prescribed by the physiotherapist and creates a visual printout so that you can easily remember and follow along at home. And if you ever have trouble with the home exercises, you can call the clinic to speak with the team—which means there is no excuse for forgetting the exercises!
You play a very crucial role in the success of your rehabilitation. So, do those exercises! And if you have trouble doing them – don’t have enough time, too tired, too many exercises – tell your physio! You and
your physio
can work together to modify your plan. Ask for those exercises – remember, only you can help deliver the most powerful rehabilitation plan!
Footprint Health and Wellness Centre is a multi-disciplinary clinic located in South Barrie, offering chiropody, physiotherapy, and massage therapy services.
Book your appointment now!
