How long does it take for aged care physio to work?

Disclaimer: Every condition is different.

OK, disclaimer out of the way, we can give you a real answer. If you work through a personalised program with The Physio Co (TPC), you should generally see some improvement around the two-week mark.

Thanks to the continual regeneration of body tissue, some of your muscles are younger than you might think. Amazing!

As physios, we encourage renewable body tissues to do their natural thing. While we can’t fix broken bones overnight, we can prescribe exercises that strengthen muscle and aid regeneration in an attempt to avoid further damage.

We work with the body’s natural cycles, which means an 8-12-week regeneration program in most circumstances.

PREFER TO LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE?

Think big, act small

Think big, act small is actually one of our core values, but by embracing the same philosophy, you can make giant leaps to recovery with small steps.

At TPC, we think of the 8-12 week regeneration in three key phases:

• Review (2-3 weeks)
• Renew (4-6 weeks)
• Recover (2-3 weeks)

Phase One (physio sessions twice a week)

During the very first appointment, there will be a lot of talking and not much action. We want to understand the crux of the matter and everything around it.

Then our physio will want to see you twice a week for 2-3 weeks.

In order to inspire a response, the muscles need buy-in from all corners. The mind must be positive and forthcoming, the support network – family and friends – need to get on board and, most importantly, the plan must be adhered to – both during contact time with the physio and outside of the sessions.

If there is no improvement after three weeks – or a condition is getting worse – it’s a flag for the physio to review and reassess. Naturally, some conditions do take longer and some will respond quicker.

After the first phase, there could be a whole range of emotions: from joy and jubilation to fear and frustration.

There may be signs of improvement. There could be no sign of change. There is a small chance things could go downhill.

Phase Two (physio sessions once a week)

Contact time can be reduced to once a week during Phase Two. The physio should be happy with the prognosis and, if the plan has been kept to, you should start experiencing improvement in strength and mobility over the following 4-6 weeks.

You should also start to feel happier and more engaged as the regeneration starts to kick in. Your body is amazing and it’s responding beautifully!

Phase Three (physio sessions once a fortnight)

Upon entering Phase Three, the appointments can be cut to once a fortnight – but that does not mean the homework drops off, too!

This plan will work only if exercises outside of physio appointments are executed regularly and correctly.

The best way to do this is to make them part of your daily routine. Our physios are particularly good at creating a flexible and personal plan so that life doesn’t have to change to get the body better. One client we worked with did his physio while playing pool every day!

This last phase could take up to three weeks, but bodies don’t always play by the rules.

Complacency is not our thing at TPC, so we always try to find a better way

The if it ain’t broke don’t fix it philosophy does not apply with bodies, so when the initial rehabilitation period is over, be sure to engage your physio for an ongoing plan.

This will help to avoid a relapse or repeat of the injury, and keep seniors mobile, safe and happy for as long as possible.

At TPC, we train all our physios in this three-step manner, so you know what to expect.

Easy!

Interested in knowing more?
Please call on 1300 797 793 or email [email protected] 🙂