An injury can sideline you for weeks or months, which is both painful and frustrating. Fortunately, there are ways to help heal more quickly and to cut down your recovery time. Physical therapy is the most popular and more reliable ways to help recovery. The following three tips will help you get the most out of your therapy time.
Tip #1: Take notes
You will be given a lot of information at your appointment, so carry a notepad with you. You should also assemble a binder in which to keep your notes along with the various print-outs and instruction sheets your therapist will provide. Things to take notes on include any advice from your therapist, such as activities to avoid or tips for approaching certain activities without further injury, as well as notes on how to perform the exercises and how often. You should also take notes at home by jotting down anything that gives you trouble or causes pain. This way you have the information handy to discuss with your therapist.
Tip #2: Follow through
Going to appointments and doing the exercises with your therapist is not sufficient. You need to follow through on all therapy recommendations between sessions, as well. Set aside a daily time to do the exercises. If you are supposed to do them twice daily, then before breakfast and before dinner may be opportune times. Also follow through on any thing you aren't supposed to be doing. If your therapist doesn't want you to put a lot of weight on a shoulder, for instance, then don't insist on carrying in all the groceries yourself. Failure to follow through sets back your recovery at best, or makes the injury more severe at worst.
Tip #3: Be consistent
Consistency is key to recovery. Not only must you be consistent in following through at home, you also need general therapy consistency. The best way to achieve this is by seeing the same therapist at regular intervals. Don't skip or reschedule an appointment unless it is absolutely necessary. Also, schedule your appointments all with the same therapist, even if the practice you attend has several therapists on staff. This way you know your plan has a consistency that moves you toward full recovery, as opposed to a plan that is broken and inconsistent because different therapists have approached your recovery in different ways.
For more help, contact a physical therapist in your area.
