What Is At-home Exercise Therapy?

At-home exercise therapy is a type of rehabilitation where patients perform prescribed physical therapy exercises in the comfort of their own homes. These exercises are designed to restore strength, mobility, flexibility, and function after an injury. They can also help prevent re-injury as the affected area strengthens.

What Does At-home Exercise Therapy Treat?

At-home exercises can help treat

• Back pain, neck pain, and muscle imbalances 
• Fractures (following initial treatment) 
• Joint stiffness and mobility limitations 
• Sprains and strains in the ankles, knees, and shoulders 
• Tendonitis and overuse injuries

At-home exercises can also help patients recover from surgery, such as ligament repair surgery or joint replacement.

Who Is a Good Candidate for At-home Exercise Therapy?

At-home exercise therapy may be a good option for patients who

• Are recovering from mild to moderate injuries
• Have mobility limitations or difficulty traveling to a clinic
• Need ongoing rehab between clinic visits

Speak with your healthcare provider to see if at-home exercise therapy is right for you.

How At-home Exercise Therapy Works

Our physical therapists create a personalized treatment plan for each patient using Medbridge, an online program. Each patient is given a secure login to Medbridge and has access to their personalized treatment plan, which includes videos demonstrating the prescribed at-home exercises.

Throughout treatment, patients should track their progress and report any pain or issues to their physical therapist.

Gradual progress can be expected, with recovery timelines varying by type of injury:

• Muscle injuries: 2 to 4 weeks 
• Tendon injuries: 4 to 6 weeks 
• Ligament injuries: 10 to 12 weeks

After completing at-home exercise therapy, patients should continue to perform maintenance exercises to maintain the strength of the affected area and prevent re-injury.