Can it be true that up to 70% of physical therapy clients don’t do their exercises? Apparently, they don’t feel in control!

’’Although the benefits of rehabilitation are known, patient non-adherence with rehabilitation programs is 50%-70%. (2, 3, 4) Lack of adherence is a significant issue because non-adherent patients have poorer outcomes than those who are adherent.5 Barriers to rehabilitation adherence include patient factors such as anxiety, depression, forgetfulness, lack of social support, low levels of activity at baseline, pain with exercise, and low self-efficacy. (2,6) Addressing barriers to rehabilitation in clinical practice may produce more compliant patients and ultimately improve their outcomes.’’

When asking physical therapists to rank the most observed patient barriers to rehabilitation exercise adherence, the top 3 were:

1. lack of time

2. forgetting

3. having low levels of activity at baseline.

Low self-efficacy was ranked fifth of the 8 patient barriers by physiotherapists.

 IJSPT

Picha KJ, Valier AS, Heebner NR, et al. Physical Therapists’ Assessment of Patient Self-Efficacy for Home Exercise Programs. IJSPT. 2021;16(1):184-194. doi:10.26603/001c.18957

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‘One of the reasons the Moovment software is so useful for getting results is because the 3D visualisations are so effective at educating clients about their strengths and weaknesses. As they say, a picture tells a thousand words. Involving a client in the problem solving process is far more effective than the top down approach that is so endemic in healthcare.’

Glenn Bilby, Physiotherapists, Founding CEO of Qinematic

4/10 of my clients come to me after physical therapy becasue they did not respond (to the therapy)……..It is a lot to do with the clients buy-in to what physical therapy is.

Dr. Kyle Worell, Chiropractor

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References

1. Pizzari T, McBurney H, Taylor NF, Feller JA. Adherence to anterior cruciate ligament rehabilitation: a qualitative analysis. J Sport Rehabil. 2002;11:90-102.

2. Kolt GS, McEvoy JF. Adherence to rehabilitation in patients with low back pain. Man Ther. 2003;8(2):110-116.

3. Sluijs EM, Kok GJ, van der Zee J. Correlates of exercise compliance in physical therapy. Phys Ther. 1993;73(11):771-782; discussion 783-6.

4. Essery R, Geraghty AW, Kirby S, Yardley L. Predictors of adherence to home-based physical therapies: a systematic review. Disabil Rehabil. 2017;39(6):519-534. doi:10.3109/09638288.2016.1153160

5. Pisters MF, Veenhof C, Schellevis FG, Twisk JW, Dekker J, De Bakker DH. Exercise adherence improving long-term patient outcome in patients with osteoarthritis of the hip and/or knee. Arthritis Care Res. 2010;62(8):1087-1094. doi:10.1002/acr.20182

6. Jack K, McLean SM, Moffett JK, Gardiner E. Barriers to treatment adherence in physiotherapy outpatient clinics: a systematic review. Man Ther. 2010;15(3):220-228. doi:10.1016/j.math.2009.12.004