10 Things Physio Wish You Did And Won’t Do
Physical therapists are kind, caring people who really help patients get better. Physiotherapy, we have put together a list of our top 10 things that we would really love for you to know that will either help you get better much faster or prevent injuries from happening in the first place.
1. Home exercise program or practice
Physiotherapy is not just about the hands-on treatment you receive while you are in the clinic with us. 99% of the time we will prescribe a home exercise program for you to do at home every day. Most of the patient’s progress will come from doing homework and following the advice of the physical therapist. People can spend 1-2 hours with us in the clinic, but it’s what they do the rest of the day that makes the difference.
2. Don’t live with your pain before it’s too late
As a general rule, the longer you have the pain, the harder it will be to get rid of it. Therefore, “a pain that lasts more than 2-3 days requires that you see a physical therapist as soon as possible.” The problem with leaving the pain for many weeks or months is that you will probably start to move differently and use sub-optimal strategies. This can change the motor pattern in the brain, making you more stable in your dysfunctional ways, and can lead to injury in other areas as well.
3. Film or photograph your exercises
A common reason for poor adherence to a home exercise program is “I forgot how to do it.” OK, fair call, we all have a lot on our plate and trying to remember new exercises and the correct technique can be a bit difficult. With today’s technology, every phone has a video or camera, that means there are no excuses. Ask your physical therapist to record you doing the exercises so you can watch it again when you get home and need to do your program.
4. Keep your body active
Participating in exercise and physical activity is important for your overall health and well-being. In today’s society, where a lot of time is spent sitting, it is necessary to break this sedentary time to avoid injuries associated with prolonged postures and lack of weight bearing. The benefits of exercise are well known, but many people still refuse to fit 30 minutes of activity into their day. Exercise is a great preventative measure you can take to protect yourself against disease and should not be ignored no matter your age.
5. Be very aware of your posture
With the increase in the number of desk workers, we tend to see an increasing amount of posture-related back and neck pain. This is mainly related to poor desk setup, prolonged sitting (8 hours/day), poor awareness of body position, or gradual postural changes over time. Many postural disorders can be avoided by adopting good postural practices, using a standing desk when available, checking your workstation setup, and interrupting sedentary time with exercise.
This isn’t just about desktop workers though! People in manual jobs should also watch how they lift and move throughout the day to avoid injury. We often see traditions with back problems, which is usually due to poor habits and techniques at work over a long period of time.
6. Control your weight
Being overweight or obese puts more stress on the joints of the body. This can result in increased osteoarthritis, cartilage wear, reduced aerobic capacity, and many other health problems. For many people in this population group, their back or knee pain would be significantly reduced by a modest weight loss of 10-15kg, although in some cases a 20-30kg loss may be the ultimate goal. Some people find it really difficult to lose weight due to lack of motivation, lack of time, lack of knowledge, etc. You are more likely to stick with a weight loss goal if you seek support from family and friends and seek advice from qualified health professionals.
7. Avoid searching the internet for the cause of your pain
It can be tempting to Google your pain or injury in an attempt to diagnose what’s going on. However, after asking a few questions, this was self-diagnosed as meeting Google’s requirements. In some cases, people have been right, but in others they have not, leading to increased anxiety and fear associated with pain. It is best to go to your physiotherapist and have him diagnose it. You can then ask for advice on where you can read more about your injury.
8. Stretch/exercise
Balancing physical activity, exercise, and prolonged posture with stretching is very important to maintaining the correct length relationships between muscles. Muscles can become tight and shortened, which can reduce movement efficiency and contribute to injury. For example, tight hamstrings or hip or muscle flexion can lead to lower back pain. We recommend taking 10-15 minutes every other day to do some stretching of the major muscle groups.
9. Invest in good quality footwear and sports equipment
If you are going to practice sports and physical activity, you need to buy good quality protective equipment specific to your sport and needs. You only have one body and most of the parts are irreplaceable. Footwear is another important consideration.
10. Keep moving if you have lower back pain
If you have lower back pain, walk around. This is an old school way of thinking, but there is a lot more evidence these days showing that staying mobile will provide better results. If you are in severe pain (can’t move, extreme back spasms), you may need a trip to the hospital. However, if you can still move around but are in moderate pain, you should see your physical therapist as soon as possible. It is recommended that patients with back pain sit for no more than 20 to 30 minutes at a time, stay mobile, and use a heat pack for pain relief as needed.
