As physiotherapists, one of the most common things we hear is that a patient hasn’t managed to do their exercises between appointments. And more often than not, they’re nervous to tell us, like they’ve forgotten their homework.
We promise: we’re not here to judge. We understand that life is busy, routines are full, and for many people who visit our health and wellbeing centre in Kingsbridge, regular exercise isn’t part of their daily life – yet.
The idea of doing specific, prescribed exercises can feel daunting. But ultimately, we’re helping you build a new habit. Like any habit, it takes time to stick, often 21 days or more.
Our role is to empower you with targeted, achievable training exercises that help address the root cause of what you’re experiencing. Every programme is tailored because no two people (or problems) are the same. Whether you’re recovering from injury or trying to improve mobility and function, we’ll work with you to shape a realistic plan that fits your lifestyle.
We also know sticking to that plan isn’t always easy. Please don’t feel bad or embarrassed if things slip. There’s usually something we can tweak or suggest to help you get back on track.
Sometimes, the challenges are unavoidable – illness, lost instructions, life admin. Other times, people make a conscious decision not to continue. Maybe they were hoping for a quicker fix, didn’t feel convinced by the approach, or couldn’t stay motivated.
Whatever the reason, talking to your physio about it is the best thing you can do. Open conversations help us adapt your plan, offer alternatives, and find something that works better for you. There are always options, but we can only help if we know.
Honesty might feel hard in the moment, but it’s often the thing that leads to the best outcome. And that’s true for more than just physiotherapy.