The Importance Of Non-Compliance To Physical Therapy

One of the greatest predictors of patient outcome in physical therapy is adherence to exercise both in and out of treatment. Those who adhere closely to the designed exercise program report increased physical function and self-perceived effect of physical therapy (Pisters, et. al., 2010). For example, Brewer et al (2004) found that for individuals who had surgical reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), greater adherence to rehabilitation recommendations was associated with improved outcomes such as fewer self-reported knee symptoms. However, many patients do not adhere to the basic principles of rehabilitation such as attending physical therapy sessions and completing home exercise programs (Mazières, et. al., 2008). Sluihs, Kok, & Zee (1993) found that non-adherence to rehabilitation recommendations could be as high as 70% over the course of treatment. …show more content…
Patients indicate numerous barriers contributing to non-compliance such as lack of time for exercises, lack of motivation for exercises, pain from the exercises, and forgetting to preform the exercises on a schedule (Sluijs, Kok, & Zee, 1993). Furthermore, day-to-day variations in stress and mood appear to be the most salient factors that contribute to a patient’s non-compliance. Brewer et al (2013) found that personal factors such as neuroticism and optimism did not predict patient adherence to rehabilitation, but that daily negative mood and life stressors contributed significantly to a patient’s compliance with home exercise recommendations. All of these factors contribute to the large problem of patient non-adherence in physical therapy programs, and suggest that interventions targeting these barriers are