Background

Physical therapy requires a different mindset for me than traditional exercise. During a traditional free weight workout I lift as much weight as possible while maintaining proper form. A traditional workout means strengthening the body by pushing its limits and fatiguing muscles. Rehabilitation is different for me. A physical therapy workout requires me to stay within my limits instead of trying to push beyond them. The ultimate goal is not to build as much muscle mass or burn as many calories as possible. The mission is to rehabilitate the injured body part and that does not necessarily mean lifting the heaviest weight and performing the most repetitions. 

Now, the perfect workout does not come from total exertion leading to exhaustion. Perfection requires listening to what the body is saying about its limits here and now during a workout. Fewer repetitions and lighter weights might actually restore health and normalcy faster than pushing so hard the body is overtaxed. 

I want to reiterate this point because I kept making the same mistake for years. I thought that the only way to heal was to earn my healing, which meant lifting more weight and pushing my body harder and harder. This simply did not work from me, and I never felt like I was getting back to normal. I changed my approach and began paying more attention to what my body would allow during each workout. Now, if a particular exercise has two versions, one easier and one more difficult, I choose the easier version. This has worked wonders for me. 

Further, by choosing the least resistance for each exercise rather than the most resistance, I can more easily compose and perform a total-body workout rather than merely focusing on physical therapy stretches related to the injured body part. 

Perfection also means knowing when to rest the body rather than exercise. Sometimes a rest day is necessary and gets you further to the goal of recovery than going ahead and working out that particular day.

Again, I am not a physical therapist or doctor. I am an ordinary person who has been doing physical therapy for years. I want to share what I have learned with the hope that you find something of value here that will accelerate your recovery. It is essential that you seek advice from your doctor or physical therapist. Every person is different and our bodies respond differently. Your doctor or physical therapist will know whether this approach might benefit you.

Trav-Wo can be described by four characteristics: 1) affordability, 2) accessibility, 3) approachability, and 4) adaptability. 

Trav-Wo is affordable because the initial expenditures for equipment are modest and no ongoing fees are required. Many people suffering from illness or injuries are unable to work and earn income. Some insurance policies do not completely cover the cost of basic physical therapy or reimburse any amount for more specialized types of therapy. Consequently, people working through chronic pain often encounter the doubled hardship of decreased household income as well as increased medical expenses. 

For less than $130, you can purchase the equipment required for eight different workouts: Balance, Krav Maga, Mat, Resistance, Ring, Step, Suspension, and Weight.

As of 1/5/2021, the costs of equipment from a major nationwide retailer are:

Exercise mat $19.47

Balance board $14.99

Resistance band $9.97

Fitness ring $16.99

Suspension straps $14.92

Step platform $24.77

Ankle weights $17.97

Wrist weights $9.86

Total $128.94

The reformer is more expensive at $479.00. This is the most helpful piece of exercise equipment I have ever found and well worth the investment. When using a reformer as part of my regular exercise regimen I feel like I am actually healing my body rather than just managing pain. 

Trav-Wo is accessible because these workouts do not require a large space or specialized facility to perform. Trav-Wo workouts are designed to fit within the confines of a small apartment or hotel room. Many of the stretches can be performed in an office space or cubicle. The idea is to make physical therapy possible within the constraints of travel, extended commutes, cramped working and living spaces, and with limited free time.

For a 6' tall person, you will need a space approximately 10' long x 8' wide x 8' high. I am able to slide a recliner on coasters out of the center of the living area in my small apartment to make enough room for these workouts. 

The workout equipment takes only minimal space to store, approximately 25" long x 25" wide x 10" high. Most small closets will suffice.

For travel, lightweight versions of this equipment will fit in some carry-on luggage with minimal bulk. A plastic balance board weighs 2 lbs 1 oz. and is 15.75" x 2.25". Krav Maga requires no equipment. For a mat workout I use a hotel bath towel or if the floor is too hard I use the comforter from the bed. A resistance band weighs 14 oz. and is 6" x 2" x 1". A fitness ring weighs 1 lb 1 oz. and is 16.5" x 2". For a step workout, you can use a step on a staircase or simply step in place. Suspension straps weigh 1 lb 7 oz. and are 7.5" x 6" x 5". Travel-friendly ankle and wrist weights are fillable with water, weigh 14 oz and are 8.75" x 8" x 2.25". 

Trav-Wo workouts are approachable because they do not require advanced skills or strength to perform. These workouts avoid challenging exercises like planks, pushups, or burpees in favor of beginner-friendly movements. In a normal situation not involving rehabilitation, compound movements are wonderful for engaging more parts of the body. These workouts avoid compound movements in favor of simple movements that isolate body parts. This allows a user to easily pinpoint which movements cause specific effects to individual body parts.

Trav-Wo workouts are modular. Each routine has a structure, such as upper-middle-lower, so that a user can easily swap out exercises and still get a total-body workout. For example, if a lateral triceps press is too taxing on the shoulders, it can easily be swapped out for an easier triceps exercise or any other upper body movement without unbalancing the overall structure of the routine. 

At each step in the process maintain a dialogue with your doctor or physical therapist. It would be a waste of time to draw up a new exercise routine only to find out that a medical expert has determined that it would not benefit you.

Step 1: Choose a type of workout and associated equipment related to your current lifestyle.

Begin with the physical activities and exercises you currently enjoy. Then search for the easiest, lowest-resistance manner of replicating that activity. For example, if you enjoy lifting free weights consider wrist weights, resistance bands or loops, or no weights at all. A good way to brainstorm is to search the web for physical therapy equipment and consider which pieces might apply to your lifestyle.

I enjoy canoeing and would often use a rowing machine at the gym. These are no longer suitable options for me. While searching for a replacement I found that I can still paddle in an upright position so stand up paddle boarding is a good fit for me. I like the way SUP'ing activates my hips and core. To replace the rowing machine I found that a balance board challenges my body in much the same way as SUP'ing, so I integrated it into my workout regimen. 

Step 2: Determine which physical therapy exercises can be performed during the workout.

List the stretches and exercises prescribed by your doctor or physical therapist to treat the injured part of your body. Some exercises may be performed using the equipment and some most likely cannot be. I perform a standing back extension during the Step workout because I found that it is an effective warm-up exercise for me.

Step 3: Compile a list of common exercises for the non-injured parts of your body.

Research beginner-friendly exercise routines using the equipment you have chosen. Focus on simple rather than compound movements. The goal is to isolate movements to a specific body part so you can more easily determine whether a particular exercise is beneficial to you or whether it aggravates the injury. For example, choose a chest press rather than a push up because a push up engages not just your chest, but also puts pressure on your low back.

Step 4: Finalize the exercises you plan to include in the workout.

Perform each exercise individually to determine which ones are preferable. Keep track of which exercises you like, which ones you are neutral to and can be used as filler to complete a full-length workout, and which ones to avoid because they aggravate the injury.

Step 5: Arrange the exercises into a total-body workout.

When arranging a workout I like to start with a clean slate so I wait to enter the exercises into a timer on my smartphone until I have performed the entire routine untimed and with minimal repetitions. When possible I arrange the entire workout in a consistent structure, such as upper-middle-lower, and repeat this pattern throughout. 

Once I have a list of all the exercises for a routine I write the name of each one on a piece of paper that I can arrange spatially on my desk. To do this, fold a piece of paper vertically into thirds and cut down both creases. Place all three sections on top of each other and make 1-inch high cuts across the sheets from bottom to top. On each piece write the name of an exercise. Place each piece in one of three piles- one for upper, middle, and lower body sections. Arrange the exercises with a warm-up and cool-down and the more challenging exercises earlier rather than later in the routine. 

Perform abbreviated workouts with the exercises in a different order each time and listen to how your body responds. You may come to prefer a similar order across different routines. For example, I like to perform deadlifts before squats and lateral raises before front raises. Every 'body' is different and you can experiment to see which order of exercises helps you feel the best once the workout is completed and your body recovers.

Always defer to your healthcare providers and your own better judgment. Every 'body' is different and what works for me may not be what is best for you.

Compose total-body workouts if possible so that if you are busy and miss a day you do not have to worry about missing a major body segment, such as 'arms and back,' for that week.

A well-architected workout works itself out. Arrange a heavier front-end and lighter back-end so that as fatigue sets in the workout eases up correspondingly.

Construct a pattern of exercises within the routine that rotates body segments, such as upper-middle-lower.

Establish a similar order of exercises across the different exercise routines you develop. I place flexion exercises before extension, and abduction before adduction. I also prefer back extensions before deadlifts, deadlifts before squats, and lateral raises before front raises. My reason for this ordering is nothing more than I perceive that my body responds more positively to this order than the reverse. In my experience, order makes a difference in the level of comfort I feel during and after a workout.

Alternate flexion and extension exercises for arms and legs. For example, perform biceps curls followed by triceps extensions rather than reverse biceps curls. 

Alternate chest and back exercises for the middle. For example, perform chest press followed by bent over row rather than fly. 

Avoid abruptly changing directions. When transitioning from abduction to adduction, I slow down, return to the starting point of the movement, and gently begin moving in the opposite direction.

Work with the body's momentum when possible. For example, I perform the Hammerfist forward and side exercise from the Krav Maga routine in the following order: right hand forward, left hand forward, left hand side, right hand side. In this way I work with rather than against the body's momentum and transform the exercise into a single fluid movement. 

Limit position changes. For example, during a Pilates mat routine I transition from supine to side to tabletop to standing. Properly engaging the core while changing position becomes more difficult as the body fatigues during the workout. 

For convenience, limit exercises involving going to the ground, either prone or supine. I do this because I prefer to stand during a workout when in a hotel room or anywhere other than my home. Also, the act of moving from standing to lying down and vice versa aggravates my body.

Choose simple rather than compound movements to isolate the body part being activated. This makes it easier to determine which exercises are helpful and which are not. 

Perform the easiest possible variation of an exercise. For example, perform a plank from the knees rather than the feet. The easiest variation may be all that is necessary to help rehabilitate the injury. 

Begin with easy warm-up and conclude with lighter cool-down movements. 

Loosen the shoulders and hips early in the workout.

Lift lighter weight to facilitate proper form throughout the workout. Think about how your body interprets the entirety of a dumbbell workout. In your mind you may only consider the number of sets and the number of repetitions per set as constituting the entire workout. Your body experiences the workout differently than your mind. While your mind may stop counting at the last repetition of a set, your body continues to record all the physical movements you make during the exercise routine. While an experienced practitioner can maintain proper form through the last repetition to fatigue, it is far more challenging toward the end of a long workout to maintain proper form while replacing the weights. The 5 or 10-step walk under the load of the weight from the bench to the rack is every bit as much a part of the workout as the last repetition is. Your body does not know the difference between bearing load during the set and bearing load while racking the weight after the set concludes.

Limit range of motion and repetitions if necessary. I have a tendency to try to overextend during exercises, which only aggravates the injury. 

Be comfortable avoiding some movements entirely. I no longer perform roll-ups to activate my core because my body simply does not respond well to this movement. Instead, I perform upper pelvic tilts and abdominal curls.  

Perform an exercise with no weights initially to determine whether it will be beneficial. If a biceps curl lifting only your arm aggravates the injury, then a biceps curl with a resistance band probably will as well. 

Updating a workout timer can be a tedious process. Do not take the time to enter a new workout into a workout timer app on your phone until you feel comfortable with the working order of the exercises. Perform a few repetitions of each exercise in order, and then wait a day to see how your body responds. You may decide to rearrange the exercises or swap some for other exercises. Next, perform a full-length workout and if the order feels right then it is time to create a new timer for this workout.

Start out with entry-level equipment that gets good reviews and is affordable. I prefer to do research online from major retailers and physical therapy stores and then see if my local megamart or sporting goods store has similar products. Seeing the equipment in person before making a purchase helps me get a better idea of whether I will be motivated to use it when I finally get it home. Sometimes a piece of equipment I learn about online seems like a good idea, but when I see it in person I get the feeling that it may be too complicated or challenging for me. 

I purchase higher-end equipment only after I have developed an entire workout using inexpensive equipment and become comfortable with the way my body responds. Also note that not all higher-end equipment will be ideal for you. For example, I purchased a fitness ring made of more durable material that was significantly heavier than the entry-level model. The additional weight and the associated load my body had to bear during the routine changed the results dramatically. Instead of alleviating aggravation in my joints the heavier weight caused a marked increase in pain and discomfort. 

When traveling I usually do not take an exercise mat, although some lightweight, foldable versions are available. I typically use a hotel bath towel for a mat. If the floor is too hard, I use the bed comforter and fold it over twice if necessary.

I am not a doctor, physical therapist, or fitness instructor. I have no education, training, or experience in medicine or physical therapy. You should get approval from your healthcare provider before performing any movement found here. 

Think of developing your exercise routines as an ongoing process and understand that it could take quite a while to get them tailored to your current physical state. You may find it helpful to modify the routines occasionally to respond to changes in your body over time. 

Because I am not a fitness instructor, I may have inadvertently misclassified an exercise, such as labeling an upper-body exercise as a mid-body exercise. Seek out expert advice regarding how to classify and arrange exercises. 

Similarly, you must work with a qualified physical therapist who can demonstrate proper technique for each exercise. When I purchase classes or individual lessons with a Pilates or fitness instructor I consider it a gift I give myself, just like buying nice shoes or taking a vacation. The money and time you invest with a personal trainer is an investment in your health, wholeness, and overall sense of well-being. You are invaluable and so is your happiness. Consider how much of your disposable income in a given month can be dedicated to the benefits of personalized training.

These exercise routines are not designed for building mass. They are specifically chosen to be as beginner-friendly as possible. The load associated with building mass could potentially aggravate pre-existing injuries. Similarly, these exercise routines are not designed for burning calories. Such workouts often require rapid movement or are moderate- to high-impact on joints.

Chronic pain can be as destructive psychologically as it is physically. Just as you are actively engaged in seeking out remedies for the pain in your body, so too should you actively seek the wisdom and experience of a counselor if you feel that it would help. Fight the battle against chronic pain on every level- physical, mental, emotional, spiritual. A positive mental state promotes healing. If you earnestly seek healing then you will also seek a state of emotional well-being. Sometimes an expert's guidance is all it takes to reach the next level in your journey of healing. A wealth of options are available. A book about mindfulness and relaxed breathing techniques may be enough to make the difference you seek. 

Stretching is the single most important component of my efforts to diminish pain. Consider developing a set of stretch routines in addition to the exercise routines. Vary the lengths of time and select one to use depending on how much free time you have and what other physical activities you have planned for the day. The Standing Stretch routine is particularly helpful at the office because it can be performed without a mat or any additional space requirements. 

Part of the healing process requires determining which stretches and exercises are therapeutic and which aggravate the injury. Try out a new stretch or exercise within or immediately after your daily stretch routine while keeping everything else the same.

Try only one new stretch at a time so you can identify the cause of any changes to the type and amount of pain you are experiencing. If by the next day the pain returns to its baseline level, then you can try another new stretch, one at a time, at that point.

Keep a journal of your daily physical activities and your body's response. A journal is invaluable when working with a healthcare provider because it allows you to precisely associate body movements and any resulting pain or sensations. Your activity journal may assist your provider in pinpointing the cause of the pain you are experiencing or recommending additional therapy. Time spent with a doctor or physical therapist is invaluable. Usually, I only have the opportunity to ask two or maybe three questions during a doctor visit or physical therapy session. Prior to your next appointment, write down the three most important questions you have regarding your rehabilitation and bring along your journal for reference.

When considering which stretches and exercises to perform, try to notice which movements you make throughout the day to help alleviate pain and discomfort. For example, when lying in bed I noticed a tendency to raise one knee to hip level and then rotate my knee across my body. I replicated this motion lying flat on my back on my exercise mat and got positive results. I then incorporated this movement into my stretch routine under the title 'Supine Knee Raise.'