The goal for our patient’s at Aquacare Physical Therapy is to achieve as close to a pain free status as possible, improve mobility, function and activity tolerance depending on each patient’s diagnosis. Therapists also assist in the distribution and education of a home exercise program that is performed and progressed throughout a patient’s course of physical therapy.
One of the most common reasons for a re-occurrence of symptoms and a return to physical therapy after discharge is because the exercises and activities taught are not continued or performed appropriately by the patient after discharge.
As therapists, our goal is to make our patient’s as independent as possible with their symptom management. A home exercise program is integral in a patient’s success during and after physical therapy. Some patients are asked to perform them once a day, some are asked to perform then once a week and so on depending on your specific needs. The same goes for when a patient is discharged. Once a patient has reached their goals in therapy and has achieved a successful discharged it becomes less of a priority and more of a chore to perform the program…..but let’s review some important key points to achieving and MAINTAINING your success in therapy!
“He who moves not forward, goes backward.”- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
- ASK QUESTIONS!
Be clear on what your therapist’s directions are! If you do not understand the frequency or duration of what exercises to perform or when to perform them you will not be successful!
- PRACTICE!
Make sure to practice your home exercises several times in front of your therapy staff as well as at home to ensure proper technique!
- BE PREPARED!
Make sure to have any equipment handy that you may need! Aquacare Physical Therapy has Home Exercise Workout equipment for sale and/or we have ideas for objects at home to use in place of gym equipment!