Do you think anyone would have good oral health by just brushing when they go to the dentist? No, the dentist expects you to clean your teeth between check ups! So why would you not treat your rehab that way?
To achieve the results you want, you have to work at it! It is just like trying to prevent a cavity. One just can’t do the exercises and stretches here in the clinic. That’s like brushing two to three times a week! We all know that we have to brush more often than that to keep the dentist from putting in the fillings!
Rehabilitation and therapy are an organic being. They need to be fed and nurtured for them to grow. The way to do this is to perform the exercises and to do them on a regular basis. Yes, doing them here during a session is very helpful, but if there is no regular follow through, the body does not get a chance to adapt, to change, and to heal. Most of the rehab process really happens during the times that you are not in the clinic. There are so many more hours during the week that the body uses to mend and heal that are more crucial than the couple of total hours you are here to see me! That is why I give you a home exercise program, or HEP, to do on your own.
All of this is tied directly to COMPLIANCE. What's this you ask? Well, compliance, simply put (in the context of the health care field), is taking what you learn or are instructed to do, and carrying it over to your daily routine. This includes good posture, brushing your teeth, taking your medication, proper activity/exercise pacing and technique, and just doing the exercises themselves. Without compliance, your prognosis is unfortunately grim (well I guess grim is too strong a word…let’s use: not as good as you’d like). The body does not get the excitation and push that it needs to get the healing process under way. It stays in a sort of limbo if there is no compliance, and some people may even start seeing a decline in progress. This is because the body is not getting enough follow through to keep focused and stay at a good healthy baseline!
Flexibility needs continued stretching. Endurance needs to be worked on on a daily basis to build tolerance and longevity of contractions. Strength needs to be continually ramped up in order to stimulate growth of muscle fibers. Edema (swelling) needs to be monitored and controlled constantly to prevent pooling and blowing all out of proportion. All of these need compliance and carry over into your normal routine. If so, you'll have a greater chance at seeing and feeling results!
Next time you brush your teeth, think about your exercises because it's the same thing. Brush your teeth. Do your exercises. Being compliant = less of a headache and a greater chance of moving forward. It prevents gingivitis and heals your body!
Thanks for reading! If you have any questions, ideas, other cool analogies, or know an awesome toothpaste we should all try, sound off on the comments section or you can email me, Sancho, at sancho@jointventurespt.com