As someone working in travel physical therapy, you know the importance of exercise. Staying physically active is vital even after an injury – in moderation, of course. For instance, you might encourage one of your patients to take a walk around the block everyday as a way to combat back pain related to sitting in the office. Meanwhile, other patients may benefit from performing yoga to increase muscle strength. Either way, some motivation is always a good thing when it comes to at-home workouts, and certain applications can help. Consider recommending these smartphone apps to your patients:
Yoga Wake Up
Rise and shine! With Yoga Wake Up, rolling out of bed in the morning is made just a bit more pleasant. The application offers audio directions for 10-minute yoga routines to be completed each morning, and it even serves as an alarm clock. The program also goes through stretching and meditation.
Zombies, Run!
Terrifying yet effective, Zombies, Run! is perfect for patients who need to get in solid cardio workouts. It motivates listeners to exercise by simulating a zombie apocalypse. Your patients will listen to an audio recording of a mission where they have to run to a safety post but grab supplies and save people on the way. That is, of course, if they can outrun the zombies chasing them. There are 200 different missions, so app users won't have to listen to the same story for each run.
Charity Miles
If you have patients who are motivated by helping others, have them check out Charity Miles. The application records how far you run or walk, and the more you move, the more money you make for a charity. It's totally free for users, and they can even choose the nonprofit these receives contributions on their behalf. With 30-plus organizations, individuals can exercise to raise funds for American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Wounded Warrior Project and more.
Sworkit
Many people are visual learners, and if they don't have their physical therapist showing them how to exercise step by step, they might slack on at-home workouts. Sworkit offers customizable workout videos where users get to select which part of the body they want to focus on. This is ideal for physical therapy patients who might have issues with only one part of their body – like the knee or shoulder. The videos are led by real trainers, so you'll feel safe knowing your patients are performing exercises with the proper techniques.
CycleCast
Spin classes are great, but not if your schedule doesn't match the one at the gym. Physical therapy patients who have cycling in their at-home exercise regimen may enjoy CycleCast. The application is a spin class hosted on your phone. Users get to choose their instruction and the length of the workout and go! This one costs around $10 each month, but your patients can test it out for free for 30 days.
GymBook
For patients who need to hit the gym for muscle strengthening, don't just outline their workout on paper. Write it down on something they won't lose: their phones. GymBook lets you plan and log a workout, allowing your patients to stay on track and for you to monitor their progress. Plus, the application comes with visual aids for each exercise, which will allow patients to workout properly and reduce their risk for injury.
As someone working in physical therapy jobs, your duties stretch beyond the appointment time. You also need to equip patients with tools for at-home exercise. These applications are easy to use and may even make workouts fun!