Is there a physio exercise sheet at the back of your kitchen drawer? If so, please don’t feel bad about it. I doubt it’s your fault. In my experience, a home exercise programme only gets used when it fits the life you actually live, and most of them don’t.
Why does a home exercise programme end up ignored?
Most people blame themselves. They assume they didn’t have the willpower, and I hear that a lot. It’s rarely the real reason.
Generic exercise sheets don’t take your life into account. They might ask for floor space you don’t have, or take up half your morning. Quite often, nobody explained why you were doing the exercises in the first place. If a plan feels like a chore that clashes with your day, it’s no surprise you put it away.
What makes a home exercise programme actually work?
It starts with you as a person, not with the diagnosis on a piece of paper. When I visit, I look at your home and how your day flows, and I ask what you miss doing most. That might be popping out to the garden, or carrying a hot cup of tea across the kitchen without worrying.
When an exercise links to something you want back, it’s much easier to keep doing. That’s the idea behind my Rehab Program, which I build around each person rather than working from a template.
How often should a home exercise programme change?
As often as you need it to. A good plan moves with you. When your strength improves, we build on it. If you have a rough week or your energy dips, we ease things back so you don’t feel overwhelmed.
A plan that never changes goes stale, and that’s usually when it ends up in the drawer. If balance is a worry, regular check-ins matter even more, which is why they’re part of my falls prevention work too.
Rehab should fit around your life
If you’re supporting a parent who has a sheet like this tucked away somewhere, all of this applies to them too.
I really believe rehab should fit around your life, not the other way round. If you’d like a home exercise programme that works for you, I’d love to have a chat. Book a free telephone consultation and we can talk through what it could look like.
