Physiotherapy exercises should be done regularly. How to stay motivated?

Ms. Radhika C.M., Physiotherapist, Unified Brain Health Care

As with any intervention, compliance with your physiotherapy rehabilitation plan is an important factor which can influence the outcome of that treatment. You need to schedule and attend your appointments with your physiotherapist regularly, follow their advice, do the prescribed exercises in the frequency prescribed and in the correct way it must be done.

Some reasons why you might not stick to your Physiotherapy plan:

• Worsening pain during exercise

• Low levels of social activity and less family support

• Exercise plan is too complex, not clear or does not fit the person’s lifestyle.

• You start feeling better and stop doing the exercises, not realising that exercises should be done continuously in the long term for best results.

• Suffering from depression and/or anxiety- with or without a fear of falls and pain

• Transportation problems, childcare needs, work schedules, lack of time, family dependents, financial constraints, convenience and forgetting.

Some Tips to improve your compliance with physiotherapy:

• Be mindful of the presence of anxiety, depression and/or helplessness. Convey this to your therapist. Get professional help from psychologists for appropriate management.

• Make sure that the instructions for exercise you receive are as clear as possible and ask your therapist any questions or doubts you may have and get clarity. If possible, ask your therapist for written instructions and exercise videos.

• To overcome pain during exercise appropriate use of simple analgesics, heat or ice packs along with passive physiotherapy treatments. Discuss these with your therapist.

• Take a picture or video with your therapist on the first and last days of therapy to see how you have improved. If you prefer it, you can take a picture or video every time you are at therapy too.

• Maintain a log of exercises and duration you did them for each day. Check if you are keeping up with your therapy plan.

• Set realistic goals and drawing up action plans with your therapist.

• If you are aware of difficulties that you foresee in adhering with your therapy plan or face with your sessions, be honest to yourself and your therapist. Act collaboratively you are your therapist to design your treatment plan which is customised to your life circumstances.

Contact Us or Book an Appointment with our Physiotherapist to build your customised physiotherapy plans that you will be able to stick to and make long term benefits to your health.

Unified Brain Health Care is one of a kind integrated Neuro Rehabilitation Centre in Chennai for adults and children offering in person and online therapy in Cognitive Neuropsychology, Clinical Psychology, Psychiatry, Speech Therapy, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Clinical Nutrition, Career Counselling, Fitness Coaching and Educational Intervention. We also offer Family and Marriage Counselling, help for PCOS, care during pregnancy, post-pregnancy care for new moms, infant and early childhood stimulation, infant and young child nutrition, care for caregivers and promote holistic brain health.