You have found yourself in physical therapy. Maybe you are dealing with injuries you sustained in an auto accident. Maybe you have a sports-related issue with mobility that you are trying to work out. Or maybe you have recently had surgery and your doctor has placed you in physical therapy as part of your treatment plan.
How you have found your way to physical therapy treatment does not matter. You are here. And, while you are, there are 4 physical therapy tips you should know to make the most of it.
1. Make Your Appointments a Priority
It is easy to cancel or postpone your physical therapy appointment when you don’t want to go. A simple phone call and you are out of it – no hard work required.
While your therapist may be disappointed at your cancellation, who is missing out the most when you cancel? You.
Your appointments are set for you to progress through your physical therapy treatment at a healthy rate. They are to get you back to your pre-injury status – maybe even better. When you cancel, you slow your progress down.
Depending on your doctor’s recommendations, you may have a couple of appointments or you may have a lot of appointments. This therapy is what is needed for your body to heal. If you are ready to feel better, then make your physical therapy appointments a priority.
2. Communicate with Your Physical Therapist
Keeping the lines of communication open between you and your therapist is important. You need to be able to speak up when you don’t understand something. Ask questions or restate what you think is being asked of you so that you get confirmation on how to proceed.
If you are concerned that the treatment plan is moving too fast or not fast enough, say something. If you are feeling pain or discomfort when doing certain types of therapy, your physical therapist should know this.
Physical therapists are wonderful at working the body and helping you heal, but they can’t read your thoughts. To get the most of your therapy, don’t be afraid to communicate.
3. Do Your Homework
That’s right – your physical therapist is going to send you away from your appointment with activities that you can do at home until your next appointment. This homework will help you to progress through treatment.
Things like gaining muscle strength or increasing mobility take time. They also require repetition and consistency. The more you do these exercises, the stronger you become. So, instead of looking at homework from your physical therapist like you did at homework from your middle school math teacher – welcome it, accept that it is going to make you better, and just do it.
4. Set Goals for Yourself
At your first physical therapy appointment, you will likely spend some time going over what has brought you into therapy, what your life is like at home/work, activities you normally engage in, where your pain is mostly felt, and what you’d like to gain from physical therapy.
As part of your physical therapy treatment plan, your therapist will likely help you set up small goals you can achieve throughout the healing process — as well as determine what your ultimate goal is. Keep this goal in mind as a reminder of all your hard work. The more you do, the more you will push yourself to reach it.
Physical Therapy at Kim Chiropractic & Rehab
Physical therapy and rehabilitation make up a very important part of the work we do at Kim Chiropractic & Rehab. We have a team of skilled, enthusiastic therapists that work with you one-on-one to achieve your treatment goals and convenient locations in Columbia, Centreville, and Rockville.
Contact our office today at (301) 881-1000 in Rockville, (410) 715-3500 in Columbia, or (703) 815-2300 in Centreville. Or reach out to us online.
