Your doctor might prescribe physical therapy for a number of reasons. It's common to have therapy after you've had surgery, but you might also need it when you have a medical condition that leaves you weak or after you've had an injury. Here's how in-home physical therapy can be helpful.
1. You Work On Recovery Goals
When you have physical therapy in your home, your therapist works on the same goals as you would if you went to a clinic for your sessions. You won't have therapy equipment available, but your therapist can adapt and bring equipment along or use things you have around your home.
You'll probably have multiple sessions to build on your progress, and while you may be encouraged to do some work on your own, having a therapist monitor and assist you in your progress could make a difference in how well and how quickly you recover.
2. You Learn To Adapt To Your Home Environment
An advantage of having in-home physical therapy is that your therapist can see how well you do things in your home. They can offer advice on how to do things like bathe, get up from the toilet, transfer to a bed, and prepare meals so you can stay active and care for yourself in a way that's safe.
The therapist might recommend mobility equipment or changes to your home to increase your safety, prevent falls, and to make it easier to be mobile and get the exercise that helps you get stronger and recover.
3. You'll Have The Incentive To Get Moving
When you go home after surgery, you'll probably be in discomfort and just want to stay in bed and sleep. Your doctor may not want you to be sedentary as this might be a risk for muscle weakness and blood clots. Moving daily could be an important part of your recovery. You might just move to a chair initially, and then begin short walks that gradually get longer.
By having a physical therapist come to your home regularly, you'll have someone to motivate you to get and stay active so your health improves. Otherwise, you might be tempted to stay sedentary and suffer from health consequences caused by not getting up and moving around. Plus, when you have the guidance of a physical therapist, you can gradually get stronger so it's easier to walk further and do more exercises with every session.
Share28 September 2020
Do you remember last time you started thinking about putting your loved one in a nursing home? Although it isn't always fun to think about, sometimes assisted living centers really are the best place for aging relatives. I began carefully considering what I wanted to do with my own mother after she fell and broke her hip. I knew she couldn't live at home anymore, but I was getting concerned about how her living with us would impact my family. I wanted to create a website talking about choosing nursing homes, so you could create a better environment for your aging loved one.
