Physical therapy every day…sounds like a great idea, doesn’t it? Imagine what kind of shape we’d all be in if we had PT every single day! Except…that’s not how it works. Much like almost everything else in life, too much isn’t usually a good thing. Let’s discuss why.
Can You Overdo Physical Therapy?
Absolutely. As much as we love to see your smiling faces come through our doors each and every day, it’s probably not a great plan. Part of physical therapy and rehab is planning and recovery. Your injury or condition might require more PT than someone else’s, but in most cases, the human body needs time to rest and recover. Maybe we schedule you for three days of challenging, rigorous PT–those other four days of the week, your body should be resting. After all, overdoing it can actually make your injury worse or even cause another injury.
Our incredibly skilled and knowledgeable physical therapists know what’s suitable for your injury. Together, you will both come up with a plan that works for your specific injury and body. Our PTs understand when you need to step it back and allow your body the time it needs to recover. So, yes, you certainly can overdo physical therapy. But we won’t let you!
How Many Times a Week Should You Have PT?
It all depends on the circumstances–your injury, your body, your recovery time. Everyone is different, and every injury is different. Some people may have the same type of injury, but one might be served better with four days of PT a week, and the other might respond well to three days a week. Others might actually need daily physical therapy! And we now offer daily treatments at Physical Therapy Now. Again, this will only apply to certain situations–you and your physical therapist will figure that out as your circumstances and progress are evaluated.
There is no set number of days you should or should not have physical therapy. Plenty of factors will determine whether you’d be better off with one day of PT or six!
How Many Times Per Day Should You Perform Your PT Exercises?
Similar question with a similar answer. It really all depends on your situation. Again, we want to make sure you’re not overdoing it because it could put you right back where you started. Your physical therapist will give you specific instructions regarding which exercises should be performed and how often. We recommend you either write down some notes or set a reminder on your phone and stick to those recommendations. We can monitor your activity while you’re in one of our convenient locations, but we can’t watch you at home–we’ll have to rely on the honor system!
Daily Physical Therapy: Is It Right For You?
While most people do not require physical therapy on a daily basis, it may be warranted in certain situations–but only if it benefits the patient. If your injury requires daily PT, give Physical Therapy Now a call at 800-481-4582 to set up your initial appointment and evaluation. If you don’t need daily PT, call us anyway, and we’ll get you on the schedule and cadence that works for your particular injury.
