Why Does My Physiotherapist Give Me Exercises?
We get this question a lot as physiotherapists, ‘Why is My Physiotherapist Giving Me Exercises?’ The answer is actually simple, the reason your physiotherapist is giving you exercises is because most of your recovery from an injury comes from the exercise work you put in at home! When you come to see your physiotherapist in the clinic, they often treat the injured area with things like passive movement, soft tissue work, joint mobilizations and sometimes modalities such as ultrasound, heat or IFC. These treatments are designed to help improve the movement of a stuck joint, lengthen a tight muscle or reduce swelling from the injured area. The exercises that your physiotherapist gives you are designed to maintain the gains you make in the clinic and help the tissue heal properly. Without these exercises, the improvements that you make in the clinic with your physiotherapist do not last very long and can prolong the healing time of the injured area. This is why your physiotherapist is giving you exercises to work on at home, and why is it very important that you do them for the prescribed frequency. Ultimately, a home exercise program is a key part of your treatment program that will help you to reach your recovery goals more quickly!
Laura Holland PT