Avoid These 3 Common Mistakes When Going Through Physiotherapy

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Physiotherapy can be recommended by your doctor if you've suffered any type of injury or if you've had a surgical procedure that now interferes with your mobility. You might also visit a physiotherapist if you have balance issues or are very physically active and want to speed healing after a good workout or any type of competition. Whatever your reasons for wanting to see a physiotherapist, be sure you avoid these common mistakes when working with him or her, to ensure you don't interfere with your overall recovery.

Listening to non-professionals

Even if one of your friends, family members or co-workers had the same surgical procedure or suffered the same injury as you did, this doesn't mean that their healing and recovery process was also the same as the one you're going through. This also applies to your fellow runners or teammates; they may have suffered the same sprain or tear or other injury during an event, but they also healed differently than you will. These well-meaning friends and family members also cannot perform an exam on your injury or monitor your healing like a physio professional will. These are all reasons why you shouldn't follow any advice that conflicts with what your therapist tells you, at least not before talking to him or her and getting their input.

Quitting early

Even if you feel some relief from pain after visiting a physiotherapist, this doesn't mean you're completely healed from an injury. The therapist may have simply loosened and flexed your muscles, which often results in pain relief. However, you may still need more therapy before you're actually healed entirely, so don't quit visiting your physiotherapist until they say you are actually healed and are finished with your course of therapy.

Not caring for your health overall

Your physiotherapist can help muscles and joints heal quickly, but if you're very overweight, you will keep putting undue stress and strain on those same muscles and joints. Lack of regular physical activity, as advised by your therapist, can also allow those joints to become stiff and sore again, and this interferes with the healing process.

You might also go the opposite route and overexert yourself, perhaps returning too soon to your chosen sport and not resting as you should. Not caring for your health overall in these ways can mean a much longer healing time, and potentially even make your injury worse, so always follow all the advice your therapist gives you when it comes to your weight, physical activity levels and needed rest.

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25 July 2017

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