Physiotherapy treatment can be life changing, helping you recover from traumatic injuries, chronic pain and get you on the road to your best performance levels. Here are a few tips to make sure you get the most out of your physiotherapy treatment. 

1. Ask your therapist questions about your injury

Understanding your condition and how to best manage it is one of the most important factors for a successful recovery. Effective therapists allow time for you to ask questions in a non-judgmental environment. There are no stupid questions, if you don’t understand what is happening in your own body it is harder to follow advice and stick to protocols. This can also help you to cope with pain and feel less helpless in your recovery. 

2.  Follow your therapist’s advice and do your exercises

Home exercises are a key part of your recovery, especially when treatment times are limited. Try to stick to your exercise program as seriously as you would a medicine schedule. It is also important to ensure that you are doing your exercises correctly at home. Don’t be afraid to double and triple check your technique before leaving your appointment.

Your therapist will also provide you with advice regarding activities to avoid, how to stretch, when to rest and how to avoid further injury. If you’re not sure about something, ask your therapist to write it down for you. 

3.  Notice your improvements

Nothing can be more disheartening than feeling like the appointments and exercises you’re dilliegently attending to are making no difference. As thereapists, we make regular measurements to track your improvement and know that while  your symptoms might  be staying constant, you are  actually moving more and increasing stress on your body as you recover. Set your own measurements to help you track your recovery. This can help you stick to treatment and feel more positive as you complete your recovery journey. 

4. Set goals and work with your physio to meet these.

The goals of recovery are different for everyone. Some of us want to be able to reach peak performance, such as running a marathon. For others, just getting through the day with a little less pain would be a huge success. Know your own goals and take the time to discuss this with your therapist, who will guide your treatment to help you meet these milestones. 

Matthew is happy to discuss your condition with you and share his tips to help you stay pain-free.