Tired of BORING rehab exercises?

" I didn't do the exercises because they were BORING!"

Does this sound familiar?? I think that we have ALL been guilty of not completing prescribed exercises in the past!

Something that came up in some discussions recently around what WE, the healthcare professionals, can de BETTER to serve YOU, was "don't make the exercises boring".

I hear you. I really do. But I also, kind of, disagree.

Hear me out.

The background, unsaid story that I hear when someone says "I didn't do the exercises because they were boring" is "and THEY DIDN'T SEEM VALUABLE/WORTHWHILE TO ME"

and I think THIS is often a bigger problem.

It is our job to

1. Provide information that helps you understand what we think the contributing factors to your problem are

2. Really clearly indicate how the chosen exercises directly address those factors!

but to do that well, we need to PICK EXERCISES THAT DIRECTLY RELATE TO YOU AND YOUR GOALS!!

If you are just getting a random sheet of exercises "that everyone with knee/hip/ankle pain" is handed....that sounds pretty bloody boring to me too!

Plus - the number of exercises available to choose from are literally infinite. So if one isn't working for you, there will 100% be suitable alternatives!

For you to really see the VALUE of doing the exercise, it needs to BE SPECIFIC to YOUR BODY and YOUR GOALS.

And sometimes the exercises WILL be boring. But if you see the VALUE in doing them, and understand how completing them will help you reach your goals...then maybe the boring stuff will get done.

You brush your teeth every day right? Why? That's pretty boring too!

But you understand WHY you brush your teeth - no big dentist bills later and hopefully a mouth full of your own teeth as you get older!

Exercise doesn't always have to be fun.

It's often uncomfortable, repetitive and tedious.

But if you can't make a connection between WHY you are doing the exercise and how that helps you achieve what you want to be doing in your life - then it probably won't feel worth it.

And it is OUR JOB to help you ask these questions! Not just give you a sheet of ready-made programs that everyone else is doing as well.

I would love to hear your thoughts!

Do you think exercise always needs to fun?

xx

AOK