Are you making these physical therapy mistakes?

Physical therapy is an excellent tool to help patients recover from injury and regain their quality of life. But when your progress slows and you don’t feel you are making the gains you should, you can become frustrated and discouraged. While every person heals at different rates and responds to physical therapy differently, it is possible that you may be making some physical therapy mistakes that are slowing your body’s recovery.

Skipping the at-home exercises

During your first appointment, the physical therapist will perform a thorough evaluation to diagnose the root cause of your pain and develop a treatment plan. This will usually include a set number of weekly visits and a routine of at-home exercises to complement the work you put in at the physical therapy office.

However, many patients will skip the at-home part of their treatment. They may believe they are putting in enough effort at the physical therapy office or that they don’t have enough time or energy to do the exercises. Skipping at-home exercise treatments is the most common reason patients are out of compliance and their recovery is slowed.  Your at-home treatments are important, and you should do them even if no one is watching.

Staying silent

Communication is a key component of effective physical therapy. While your physical therapist is skilled in diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal disease, they are not mind readers. Some patients may want to get through their physical therapy sessions as quickly as possible and think gritting through a treatment that causes discomfort is the way to do it.

But if a treatment or exercise is causing you pain, speak up! The physical therapist can adjust your treatment plan based on your body’s needs. In addition, don’t be afraid to ask questions. There are no dumb questions and the physical therapist wants to help you understand your treatment. Staying silent and not communicating can hinder your recovery.

Physical therapy with Peak Performance

Not all physical therapy offices are the same. Peak Performance physical therapy has skilled therapists that can treat your pain symptoms. With several decades of combined experience, Peak Performance wants to help you regain your quality of life. Contact us today to set up your initial appointment today.