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How to take care of your injury from home
You will get injured
I know it sucks. And it’s frustrating. And that’s not what you want to hear.
But that’s the truth. It’s not inevitable. You will get hurt at some point, and you will have pain.
So you’ll see a doctor and visit a physical therapist. Maybe 2 times a week. Maybe 3.
But they’ll all tell you the same thing
“If you want to recover, you’re going to have to do these exercises at home.”
And that’s the hardest part.
At the end of the day, you are responsible for being engaged in recovering from injury at home
Research shows that only 35% of physical therapy patients fully adhere to their plans of care.1 That’s a staggeringly low number, and it turns out that most patients simply aren’t doing their prescribed physical therapy home exercise programs. The most common reasons cited are lack of motivation, questions regarding self-efficacy, and environmental blocks to movement.
How can you address the factors in the study?
How can I deal with lack of motivation?
One of the best ways to overcome a lack of motivation is to have a plan.
Before you start your at-home exercises, sit down and map out exactly what you need to do and when you need to do it. This will help you stay on track and make sure that you’re doing everything you need to in order to recover.
It’s important to set realistic goals for your at-home exercise program. If you’re too ambitious, you’re likely to get discouraged and give up. On the other hand, if your goals are too easy, you won’t see the results you’re hoping for.
Consider also getting a partner
Recovering from an injury can be a lonely process, but it doesn’t have to be. Find a friend or family member who can help you with your at-home exercises. This will not only make the process more enjoyable, but it will also help you stay accountable.
Finally take it one day at a time
Recovering from an injury can be a long and difficult process. It’s important to take it one day at a time and not get too ahead of yourself. Set small goals and celebrate each and every accomplishment, no matter how small.
How can I feel sure that what I’m doing works?
First, it’s important to understand that your fear, worry, and anxiety are all perfectly normal.
If you’re trying to recover from injury, it’s easy to feel like you have to do it perfectly or you’ll make things worse. We live in a time of information overload and optimization- so it’s common to have the feeling “If I’m not doing this perfectly, I’m making things worse.”
But the reality is that the body is incredibly resilient. And a lot of research shows that movement is always better than no movement at all. Don’t let analysis-paralysis keep you from moving your body more.
Even if you’re not sure you’re doing the exercises correctly, getting up and moving around is better than sitting still.
And if you’re still feeling unsure about your ability to recover, consider working with an online coach while you’re at home.
A coach can help you understand the exercises you need to do and can provide reassurance that you’re on the right track.
The bottom line is that you need to feel confident that you’re helping your body get better. Whatever you need to get to that confidence is important!
How can I make it easier for me to do what I need to do?
So many blogs and books have been devoted to building up your habits. (Start with Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg 2)
My favorite way to make things easier is to reduce the friction involved. That means making it as easy as possible to do the things you need to do.
There are many ways to do this- and to start listing them would end up focusing on hacks and not the principles.
If I say “Set up a dedicated spot to exercise” or “Always do your rehab at the same time,” these both rely on the principle that having a dedicated time and place makes it easier for the brain to remember to do it.
You can try different things, as long as you’re making it easy for yourself.
If you’re feeling resistance, step back and ask “How can I make this come from a place of ease and flow?”
It’s important to know yourself. What has worked for you in the past? Why did it work? Is there a way to replicate that again?
The best way to find out is to experiment. Try something new and see if it works. If it does, great! If not, try something else.
If you’re not sure where to start, brainstorm with a friend or coach.
They may have some great ideas that you haven’t thought of. Injury recovery is never fun. But by following these tips, you can make it a little easier on yourself.
And the sooner you start, the sooner you’ll be back to moving!