Mt Eden Physio Tips To Help You Complete Your Home Exercises

An essential component of physiotherapy treatment is your home exercise program. Our highly skilled physiotherapists at your local Mt Eden physio will often prescribe them to maintain improvements in mobility during the session, reduce pain or increase strength in the affected area for common injuries such as ankle sprains, ACL tears, shoulder sprains and neck and back injuries. Physiotherapists know that patients who complete their exercises will have better outcomes from their treatment, however it can be difficult to find time to complete them. Here are a few tips from your Mt Eden physio that can help you to fit your exercises into your weekly routine.

Plan when to complete them

Making a plan might sound simple, but the expression ‘failing to plan is planning to fail’ has some truth to it. Physiotherapy exercises are specifically targeted towards weak and tight muscles. The exercises are likely to be a little difficult and uncomfortable. Setting time aside in advance to complete them can help you overcome any resistance to getting them done.

Ask your Mt Eden Physio to prioritise them

Your physiotherapists might give you a combination of exercises to complete. If you’re struggling to find time to complete them all, ask your physiotherapist to rank the exercises in order of importance, this can help you to make sure you complete the most important ones when you are short of time.

Set triggers as reminders

You can use small everyday tasks as reminders to remind you to complete your exercises. Some examples include boiling the kettle, brushing your teeth or as a final task before getting into bed.

Use Positive reinforcement

Combining a task you don’t enjoy with one that you do is a great way to motivate yourself. You can either pair your exercises with something you love such as watching an episode of your favourite tv show or give yourself a reward once they are completed. Either way, the more positive associations you make with completing your home exercise program, the less barriers you make to completing them.

Want more tips? Ask our physiotherapists for their top tips and tricks for fitting your exercise program into your day or ring 09 631 5991 for an appointment to discuss which exercises would be best for your injury!