When should you prescribe exercises 3 times pre day ?

Are you a good therapist if you precribe exercises 3 x per day? Well some may not think so..

But I am more measured .....

I have used this sort of prescription for many years and have generally got good results. Admittedly, my results have improved as a I have gained more experience.

When I first qualifed as a physiotherapists I would tell all my patients to do their exercises 3 x per day. This precription was based upon two assumptions :

1. I did not know any better.

2. I wrongly assumed that patients were lazy and would not do the exercise anyway , so if I said do it 3 x per day , the chances were they would only do it 1 x per day ....

Today with a much better understanding of exercise precription gained from a Masters in Strength and Condtioning and trial and error with 100s patients over a 20 year career there are generally only three situations where I recommend this precription.

1. To prevent or reduce muscle atrophy after surgery and acute soft tissue injuries

2. To increase joint mobility and muscle / soft tissue flexibility

3. To improve motor control and skill aquisition

These three situations lend themselves well to a precription of 3 x per day. This is because all involve regular practice and volume that your patients often need to see any benefit. The physiological adapations that underpin these physical qualities are best acheived with a stimulus that is a little and often.

So hopefully you have compeling reasons for prescribing exercises 3 times per day !

So to wrap this blog up, remember exercises 3 x per day is great for :

1. Preventing or reducing muscle atrophy after surgery and acute soft tissue injuries

2. Increasing joint mobility and muscle / soft tissue flexibility

3. Improving motor control and skill aquisition

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