If you have had physiotherapy, due to an injury or operation, you may have been given exercises to perform physiotherapy at home to help improve your mobility and strength.
Below, we explore some popular gentle exercise aids and physiotherapy aids that are designed to improve movement, stability and strength in different areas of the body to support you during recuperation and care for your physical well-being in the longer term.
While some physiotherapy equipment is designed especially for one area of the body, other aids can help with movement, balance and strength exercises across the whole body.
Exercise mats are popular fitness aids that are used for floor exercises, as well as yoga and physiotherapy at home. Most exercise mats, including the TPE Mat, are ideal in a range of indoor and outdoor settings and are valuable pieces of equipment to have at home to improve comfort and slip resistance when performing your exercises.
Exercise or stability balls are another piece of equipment that can be incorporated into a physiotherapy routine or as part of a workout. When used in the correct form, following instructions from a physiotherapist, exercise balls can effectively improve core stability, strength and balance. They are available in a range of sizes and colours and can be inflated with a manual inflator.
Hand therapy is often essential after an injury to your hand or wrist and, as well as doing hand exercises during a session of physiotherapy at home, you may need to keep up with treatment at home to aid your recovery. Hand therapy equipment, such as therapy gel balls, can help to improve grip as well as dexterity in the fingers and fine motor skills to progress overall movement in your hand. They are available in a variety of resistances indicated by their colour, to offer support to people with various levels of strength and movement in their hands.
If you are working to improve the strength in your hands and arms you may consider the benefits of dumbbells. With a range of different weights available, they are designed for people with various strength levels and can be beneficial if you’re starting with small weights and gradually require heavier weights as you are recovering or improving your muscle strength.
If you have experienced a sprain or strain around one of your joints you may need to wear a support that helps to aid recovery and limit swelling through compression and support of the joint.
Injuries to the knee joint can happen for many reasons and you may require support to aid recovery and reduce the risk of any further injury. Knee supports, such as the Neo G Open Knee Support, help to provide stability and protection to the joint. These are suitable for use during recovery following an operation or injury. Its Neoprene material also helps to promote blood circulation which may be of benefit if you experience pain or stiffness from arthritis.
If you have an injured or weak wrist, you may consider the benefits of wrist supports, such as the Neo G Airflow Wrist and Thumb Support to help reduce swelling around the joint. This wrist support provides a snug fit to aid compression and comfort, and is suitable to wear during day-to-day activities, including sports.
If you have experienced an injury, it is vital to consult with your GP to discuss the support you may require and the relevant treatments to aid your recovery. It is important to seek advice from a medical professional if you are starting any form of new exercise programme to ensure it will not affect any existing conditions and that it is right for you as an individual.
If you have any more questions about which physiotherapy or daily living aids are best for you, we will be more than happy to help. At Complete Care Shop, we’re determined to support you to the best of our ability so you can live your life to the maximum.
If you need help deciding if a particular aid is right for your physiotherapy at home, consider getting in touch with our Expert Advice Service where one of our occupational therapists will be able to advise you. For any other queries and support, don’t hesitate to contact us.
By signing up you consent to us using your email address in accordance with our privacy policy.