1. Make a GOAL and Start a Therapy and Fitness Schedule
What do you want at the end of your Physical Therapy? Do you know what you want? Be really clear about your goal, and work hard towards it. Look at your end goal whenever you are feeling down, so you know exactly why you started. Physical Therapy and Fitness usually go hand in hand, so make a plan and schedule time for your recovery.
2. It HURTS, but How and How Much?
You know it hurts, but do you know how much pain you are in on a scale and how exactly it hurts? Does it ache? Throb? Or is it more like stabbing feeling? And how much does it hurt when you say it hurts a lot? Mild? Severe?
Answers to these questions will help your Physical Therapist do their job right and get you recovered quickly.
3. Take Notes and Pictures
Before and after each session with your Physical Therapist (try to go to the same person every single time), take a note of your pain and recovery. Yes, it feels like you won’t forget, but just in case you do forget, taking notes would be a great help to remember and keep things in check.
Try to ask a lot of questions and write everything down. Sometimes, even with notes, it’s hard to remember correctly – so if your PT approves, take a picture of how the poses and the exercises performed.
4. Be Patient and Have HOPE
It takes time to see results, so be PATIENT and wait. It’s the same as going to the gym and hoping to gain muscles or lose weight in one day. You know that you can’t see results within few days, but you’ll see them after few weeks.
Just like that, it’s going to take more than few visits to see recovery. It might sound strange, but try to FEEL as if you are recovered already. That doesn’t mean go out and play, it just means don’t be down because you are not doing the things you want to do
5. Stretch and Exercise at Home or at the Gym
Depending on your own unique situation, your Physical Therapist will teach you different exercises and stretches that will help you. You will only visit your Physical Therapist few times a week, so for the rest of the week do your stretches and exercises at home CONSISTENTLY. Don’t forget to do ALL your exercises!
6. Always LISTEN to Your Physical Therapist.
When you start to feel better, it’s easy to think you are recovered and can resume normal activity. However, due to hasty decisions, a lot of the times it makes the recovery even worse or slows the process.
So don’t go play that basketball game, just yet!
Just wait and recover for good, then go and have fun. Listen to your Therapist; they know what they are doing. Even after your Therapist says you are good, take things slowly. Take baby steps, and take care of yourself. Taking care of yourself will increase your chances of staying out of physical therapy!
Need help? We’ve got your back! Go to our website or call us and we can answer any questions you have and help you out!
Alpine Fitness & Physical Therapy
801-216-4299
alpinefitness.com
alpinept.com
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