How to use household items to do your Physio Rehab at Home

Having trouble with rehab? Not all of us have a membership to a gym or have equipment at home and some of us might simply not have the time to go out to do rehab. There’s always a way around it though, so read below on some top tips on how to work on rehab at home even for the most minimalistic of people!

Specialised equipment isn’t always needed to get the most out of a rehab plan. In some cases it’s the most simple things that we have around the house that can be the most effective to help us on the road to recovery. We know how important rehab is to getting better so we’ve included some cheap and simple household items that can be used for mobility and strength exercises.

Stairs

Something nearly all of us have in our homes. Exercises that can be carried out on these include Step ups, Split squats, Raised push ups and even Box jumps. Make sure that if you are to do box jumps on the stairs then only jump off of them to avoid hurting yourself!

Backpack

These are brilliant for weighted exercises as the weight can be changed easily by shoving in whatever you can find inside of them such as books. As well as this you don’t necessarily need to use your hands as it can be put over your shoulders front or back. Exercises that a backpack can be used for include Squats, Deadlifts and Shoulder press.

Chair

Another household item that can be found in most houses, this can be used for stability based exercises such as Single leg squats, Chair planks or Raised bridges. Make sure you use a stable chair and not one with wheels otherwise you might slip off.

Towels and Bed Sheets

A basic item we use to keep clean and sleep with but now something that can be used for your mobility and strength as well! Towels and bed sheets are sturdy so can be used as a band to assist when moving your limbs into different planes of motion. As well as this when placed on a hardwood floor, it can be used as a substitute for a glider. Exercises that a towel can be used for include Hamstring curls, Squat slides and Shoulder stretches. Another use for bed sheets is by typing them in a knot and closing them in your door frame can be use as a makeshift TRX machine where Low rows or planks can be performed.

Shopping Bag

Similar to using a backpack you can use a shopping bag for weighted exercises and can complete exercises such as Bent over rows, Kettlebell swings or Overhead presses.