Physiotherapists find that many clients complain about not having time to do their rehab exercises. Unfortunately, this ‘homework” is a crucial part of the healing and rehabilitation process.
Rather than dedicating time each day to complete your rehab try to do them throughout your day. It’s a lot easier to find five or ten minutes here and there rather than one whole hour.
Here are 10 opportunities that you could use as prompts or reminders to build your rehab exercises into your everyday life.
1. Rise and Shine
Complete a set of exercises as soon as you get out of bed. As soon as your feet hit the floor you can complete a set of ankle strengthening exercises such as heel raises. These can be harder than they seem try x10 together and x10 single leg raises.
2. Hit the Gym
Incorporate your rehab exercises into your warm-up at the gym. If you don’t go to group fitness classes, you may be missing some valuable warm-up and stretching time. Make sure you give yourself five or ten minutes before starting your workout to warm up properly. This is a good time to do your abdominal, core and lower back work.
3. Phone Alerts
Set reminders on your phone to break sitting or screen time. Stand up and move around for five minutes every hour, and take a good 30+ minute break in the middle of the day.
4. Furniture Prompts
Every time you get up from a seat, concentrate on rising slowly and squeezing your glutes and thigh muscles.
5. Behind the Wheel
When you are driving and stop at a red light, you can do some simple neck stretches or pelvic floor for the ladies!
6. Active Screen Time
Invest in a yoga or exercise mat and keep it in your living room, or wherever you watch tv. This is a great visual reminder to get down and do your floor rehabilitation exercises.
7. At Work or While Studying
Do your foot and knee rehab while sitting at your desk, couch or table. Kick off your shoes and complete a couple of sets of toe fans and foot circles and knee extensions.
8. In the Kitchen
You can easily fit in a set or two of quad stretches while waiting for the microwave to count down, the toaster to pop, or the kettle to boil.
9. Handsfree
Headphones are your best friend when it comes to combining everyday tasks with rehab exercises! You can talk to someone while doing your kickbacks or calf raises holding onto the back of a chair. If you love listening to podcasts, pop your headphones in to do a set of squats.
10. Cleaning Your Teeth
Dentists recommend brushing your teeth for two minutes and this is a great time to do your wall sit!
Have you got your own tricks to making it easier to fit in rehab exercises into your day? I’d love to hear them in the comments below!
