Physical therapy can be used to promote better and healthier lives, and it can be used to help individuals who are suffering from chronic illnesses. If you want to save some cash and time and try exercising at home instead of going to rehab centers, you are probably exploring DIY PT. Here, we are going to list some of the dos and don’ts of doing physical therapy on your own.
1. Do a Lot of Research
The first thing you have to do if you want to do PT on your own is to start by doing as much research as possible. There are many different methods and types of exercise that can help and you need to find the right one for you. Try to find out what is the most beneficial depending on your injury, lifestyle, and age, and see how you can implement the therapy in your home. Keep in mind that most of these things are done without additional equipment but in some cases, you may need to invest in some tools that are going to help you with your rehabilitation process.
2. Don’t Put More Strain on Yourself
One of the worst things we all make is think that if we are not in pain, it means that the PT is not helping. We believe that we need to go through even bigger pain and discomfort in order for things to go the right way. You should never put more strain on yourself than absolutely necessary, and you should be patient with your body. Don’t push yourself to the limit, because when you do this, you risk doing more damage than good.
3. Talk to a Professional
There are different types of physiotherapy and you need to find the right one for your specific case. When choosing the best type of PT that you are going to try in your home, it is always recommended to talk to a professional first. Even if you don’t want to pay for the appointments and even if you don’t want to do them weekly, it is always good to have someone who is a trained professional with you. If possible, have at least one professional session and go from there.
4. Don’t Expect Results Right Away
When we need to go through PT, we expect that our pain and discomfort are going to go away after one day. We all want to stop feeling the pain and go back to our normal routine, and when we don’t see the results right away, we just want to give up. Just like everything else, these exercises are going to take time, and when you do everything on your own, this could mean that you would need even more time. Don’t give up and keep in mind that you need to be persistent, patient, and ready to win the battles and the war.
These are some of the things that you should keep in mind when doing PT on your own. Always do a lot of research, when talking to a professional make sure you include all of your medical histories, and know that in this case, one size does not fit all. You need specialized exercises that are going to target your exact problems.
