In this guide
Choose the question in front of you
| Your question | Begin here | What to take away |
|---|---|---|
| What might these symptoms mean? | Respond to pain | A symptom history and a clearer assessment question |
| How can I move into this position? | Understand mobility | The range, support, and strength the task requires |
| How should I change the exercise? | Set the dose | A record of load, volume, effort, and response |
| How do I know it is helping? | Interpret progress | A repeatable measure connected to daily function |
Write a task goal
Replace a broad aim such as “improve my hips” with a task: put on a shoe, rise from a low seat, climb a particular staircase, or return to a chosen activity. Include the demand that matters—depth, duration, load, speed, or assistance.
Try this format: “I want to do ___; at present I can do ___ with ___ support.” For example: “I want to climb the stairs to my apartment with fewer stops. I can manage one flight using the rail before pausing.”
Learn the setup before adding effort
Open the relevant regional guide, then use the exercise reference to understand a movement’s purpose and options. Select a familiar, manageable activity that fits your current health and any care restrictions. The examples on this site are educational starting illustrations.
If you are already in rehabilitation, bring the idea into that plan. Ask which capacity it would develop and whether it duplicates something you already do. A shorter programme with a clear purpose can be easier to follow than several overlapping lists.
Keep the first record simple
Continuing the stair example, an introductory record might read: “Five rises from the same firm chair, using the armrests. Note effort, knee symptoms, and how the next usual stair trip feels.” This is an illustration of a record, not an exercise prescription. Choose your own activity and starting amount.
- Task: name the activity or exercise.
- Setup: record support, equipment, height, or range.
- Dose: note repetitions, sets, time, distance, or load.
- Response: describe effort, symptoms, and what happened afterward.
- Next question: decide what you need to understand before changing the plan.
The movement log saves entries in your browser when you choose to save. You can export or print them for your own record or an appointment.
Explore measurement and research methods
If you already know the basic exercises, move into the science collection. Explore why a test change may be smaller than measurement error, how practice performance differs from motor learning, and why a treatment effect depends on its comparison group.
Each evidence-led guide links to the source and describes its scope. Look for the population, outcome, follow-up, and limitations. Use those details to judge how closely the finding matches the question you are asking.[1]
Write the reason for an exercise
Before adding an exercise, write why it belongs in the programme. “Practice standing from my dining chair” identifies a purpose. “Work on weakness” leaves the exercise, position, and outcome unspecified.
Know when a guide is the wrong starting point
New neurological symptoms, substantial trauma, a newly hot, swollen, painful joint, or rapidly declining function require medical assessment. See the symptom guidance and medical disclaimer. A familiar exercise and a reassuring score cannot rule out a condition that needs care.
References and evidence
- Cochrane Handbook · Interpreting results and drawing conclusions
Interpret magnitude, confidence intervals, harms, certainty, and applicability together.