Life Happens

15 Oct Life Happens

You start physical therapy because you have had a set-back. A joint that you want replaced because it is hurting and not functioning correctly, not allowing you to move how you want to. An injury that you did not plan on and now you have to teach your body how to heal and move again. An illness that decreased your activity level and made you weak. It takes time to recover from these insults to your body and lifestyle. So you ask for help, from people who know how bodies move and how to help you heal. Physical therapy programs take time, energy, and consistency. But what happens when you have to stop this program? You are going on vacation, lost your ride to the clinic, had an illness that stopped you from participating, you are taking a break for the holidays to spend time with family, there are insurance/payment restrictions, or you are dealing with an emergency. Life happens, and there might be times when you need to pause your therapy.

Keeping up with your therapy program is important. Stopping physical therapy could affect your recovery and healing. There are generally time frames for healing and progress that can be made. There are windows for neuro-plasticity following stroke or brain injury. It’s important to get full ROM before the scar tissue forms after surgeries, (like after a total knee replacement. You could have long term consequences in function and see a stop or back-slide in progress. You could unconsciously revert to unhealthy movement patterns, causing new injuries or prolonging pain.

Consistency is key, but there are steps you can take to help your recovery stay on track. If you know that you are having to stop, or pause, your physical therapy, let your therapist know. They can give you hand outs (home exercise programs) and education on how to perform the exercises and activities at home. They might be able to help with modifications to your existing program to make it easier to do from home and using equipment you might have available. If you are going on vacation, you might be able to find a physical therapist in the state you will be vacationing in and continue your therapy there. If you don’t have a ride, there might be options for telehealth appointments,

If it is something sudden and you don’t have time to get education from your physical therapist, just stay active to prevent loss of mobility, balance, or muscle strength. Don’t lose all your hard work! Follow your precautions and listen to your body so you don’t push yourself too hard and cause injury. Slowly progress your activity level. Take care of yourself, remember, you are still healing. Manage stress, hydrate, and ensure proper nutrition to support healing, muscle recovery, and joint health. Try to keep up with the exercise / activity programs you were doing in clinic to maintain the progress you have made so far.

If you don’t know your programs / exercises, or don’t know how to safely progress them, you can search for pro-bono clinics (check out colleges with physical therapy programs) or use resources like My Rehab Answers.

At My Rehab Answers, we don’t do evaluations, treatments, or plans of care, but we can answer questions about general programs for various diagnoses, help you understand your home exercise program, and help you safely progress your activity.

We are here to offer support so you can continue on track to increase your range of motion, strength, balance, coordination, and quality of life.

Don’t lose your hard work! Prioritize yourself and your health, even if you can’t make it to clinic.