Are Your Rehab Exercises Actually Important?
“Er, I haven’t done them as much as I probably should have…”
Does this sound like you? We often deal with patients who haven’t done the activities in their home exercise plan, and we’ve heard all the reasons that go with it: lack of time, lack of energy, forgetfulness, it’s feeling better already… You get the idea.
But how important are those exercises really? In this article, our Sports Therapist Hannah will give you the lowdown on Rehab and tell you what really matters. (5 minute read)
What Are the Benefits of Injury Rehabilitation?
You Get Better, Quicker:
If you’re having treatments like massage or manipulation, Rehab programs help to cement the positive changes you see from your clinical care. Early stage Rehab programs reduce pain by gently stretching, overcoming any “fear avoidance”, and restoring normal movement. Remember, the more you do, the less your clinician will have to do!
Less Pain, More Movement:
Once the pain is coming under control, the next stage of Rehab shifts focus to building muscle strength and joint flexibility. During this stage the simple movements we started with in the first stage will have added weight and complexity to really challenge the recovering tissues.
Get Strong and Stay Better:
Later stages will include strength training exercises to help prevent recurrence. Usually by this point the pain will have subsided, but a good Rehab programme will help you get back to better than you were before you got injured. After all, there was a reason you got injured in the first place…
When Can I Stop Doing My Rehab Exercises?
The short answer: it’s up to you!
The longer answer is that the whole point of rehab is to help you resume your normal activities, so you can live the life you want. Once you’ve made it to that point on your journey, it makes sense to keep building and prevent further episodes. The longer you keep tackling the root cause of your injury, the less likely you are to see a recurrence. A stitch in time saves nine!
We know that Rehab can become dull sometimes, but continuing with self-management doesn’t have to mean doing the same exercises forever. Follow-up appointments to discuss or change your exercise plan can help keep things fresh. In the later stages of rehab, we can help you get better results with fewer exercises. For example, moving from small isolated movements to whole-body movements like squats, lunges or deadlifts can get you a lot more “bang for your buck”.
Rehab doesn’t have to be boring
The best way to keep your recovery on track is to check in with your clinician, but if you’d rather take control of your own programme, here are a few quick tips to get you started.
Tips for Home Rehab
Your clinician will give you guidance on exercise frequency and intensity, but here are some general guidelines to help you understand how we make those decisions.
Frequency
How often you should exercise depends on the type and intensity of the exercise.
Light or gentle exercises can be done multiple times daily, like mobility exercises and stretches.
For more intense exercises that build strength, it's important to have rest days to avoid overusing fatigued muscles.
Reps
The amount of sets and repetitions you should do will vary based on the type of exercises you are doing.
Higher amounts of repetitions (15-20) are used early on in Rehab to help learn new movements, as in mobility exercises and stretches.
Lower repetitions (4-8) with more sets (3-5) are better for building strength, later on in your Rehab program.
What If I Experience Pain During My Rehab?
When doing any exercise, it is important to listen to your body. Sometimes when doing your Rehab exercises you may experience pain. However, not all pain is bad pain! Pain during exercises can be for a variety of reasons:
Muscle fatigue (good!)
Further injuring tissue (bad…but very rare)
Using tissues that are sensitive from a previous injury (good, up to a point - see below!)
Our bodies are always repairing and adapting. With some injuries, that adaptation is making the area more sensitive so that we use it less and allow the tissues to recover. This is great when injured tissues need to repair themselves, but if those “protective changes” carry on too long, it can cause problems in the long term. This is where Rehab really works its magic - it helps to “de-sensitise” tissues and get you back moving normally. One sprained ankle shouldn’t mean you limp forever!
We often use the “Traffic Lights” for pain during exercises:
When pain is around 0/10 to 4/10 we give the green light to continue with the exercises. Motion is lotion!
The amber light comes on when pain gets between a 5/10 and a 7/10. We suggest you proceed with caution, or take a breather to let the injured area settle. If the pain is affecting the quality of the movement, then the juice isn’t worth the squeeze.
8/10 or above is the red light - stop. This may be an indicator of further injury, but it’s more likely that you’re simply making the affected area more sensitive, not less…
It’s important to discuss any concerns with your clinician
If you have any concerns around pain during your exercises, do not hesitate to contact your healthcare provider for advice. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Conclusion: Rehab IS Important!
At Pyramid Health, our aim is to make you fit for life. Whether that’s with a Rehab plan run by us or supporting you to do your own thing is up to you.
We want you to avoid the “boom and bust” of becoming injured, getting treatment, only to get injured again. Our Rehab programmes are designed to get you back to doing what you love, and keep you there.
If you’re stuck in a cycle of persistent injury, book an appointment and start getting better today.