New year, stronger you: how physical therapy can help you achieve your goals
For many of us, planning for New Year’s resolutions begins well before January hits — especially those focused on improving fitness and overall health. But whether you outline your New Year goals during the fall months, or you wait until the ball drops in Times Square, the odds of sticking to them are not particularly promising.
It’s no secret that most New Year’s fitness resolutions fizzle out quickly. In fact, Baylor College of Medicine reports that 88 percent of people who set New Year’s resolutions abandon them within two weeks, and Verywell Mind notes that more than 90 percent of resolutions fail within a few months. Clearly, most ‘New Year, New You’ plans don’t last.
But here’s the good news: physical therapy can help you stay on track, prevent injury, and reach your fitness goals safely.
As experts in musculoskeletal health, physical therapists understand that tendons, muscles, and bones need time to adapt to new training loads to perform at their highest potential.
Setting physical fitness goals with our patients and helping them achieve these goals, often with slow and steady loading of tissue, is our bread and butter!
Why New Year’s resolutions fail
For many, the cycle is predictable – we start the new year with a high level of motivation to reach lofty fitness goals. Gyms become crowded in January, filled with motivated people aiming to lose weight, build strength, or train for an event. The cycle that begins with motivation then leads to overexertion. Overexertion leads to injury, burnout, or giving up altogether.
4 common reasons resolutions don’t stick:
- Expecting Quick Results – In a culture that values the concept of “instant gratification,” we often expect results quickly. Unfortunately, the human body doesn’t work like a fast-food restaurant, and meaningful changes take time to achieve.
- Lack of Planning – If you don’t have realistic steps outlined in a plan that builds toward your goal, you are likely to lose sight of the light at the end of the tunnel when things get tough.
- Jumping In Too Fast – Going from 0-60 overnight often results in injury due to overload of tissues not yet adapted to the demands being placed on them, or mental fatigue and burning out. Our patients often ask about the difference between “good pain” – often related to delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and “bad pain” – for example inflammation of a tendon under repetitive load!
- Lack of Accountability or Guidance – It’s hard to push through hard things, both physically and mentally, when you are doing it alone. Hence, 88-90% of resolutions are abandoned by the end of January or early February.
Again, the good news — your physical therapist can help address all of these barriers.
How physical therapy supports your fitness goals
Did you know that physical therapists are “the movement doctors” and have the skills to help you prevent injury, vs just rehabilitating after injury or surgery?
During an evaluation, your PT will assess:
- Muscle strength, length, tone and power
- Balance and coordination
- Potential areas susceptible to injury
For example, if you’re returning to running after having a baby, your PT will assess your hip strength, balance, calf length and pelvic floor coordination/endurance, to ensure you are ready.
They can also create a gradual run/walk plan and customized strengthening routine tailored to you and designed to address any areas of muscle imbalance!
One of the things we commonly hear from our patients is how much they value the accountability and partnership of their physical therapist. Plus, your PT provides guidance and expertise, helping you understand which pain to “push through” and which pain to back away from. Regular sessions lay the foundation for sustainable, independent progress — a critical factor many people overlook.
Who knew that PT plays such a strong role in optimizing health and performance in addition to our role in recovery from injury?
Set SMART goals for success
Let’s uncover some practical tips that will help you achieve success with your fitness related New Year’s resolution.
First, be sure your goal is SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Don’t shy away from writing it down with details included!
Think through questions like:
- How much weight do you want to lift by spring?
- How many miles do you want to run per week?
- Which event or race are you training for, and what’s your goal time?
If you are new to fitness, or just getting back into it, start small vs overshooting, and look forward to celebrating small successes and setting new goals throughout the year as you achieve your original goals!
Your physical therapist can help you create a research-backed progression plan — including how many reps and sets to do, how to build endurance safely, and when to rest or cross-train.
These strategies not only help you avoid injury but also keep your progress sustainable all year long.
Take Control of Your Fitness Journey
With realistic goal setting, structured plans, and PT support, you can avoid becoming part of the 90 percent who never achieve their New Year’s resolution.
Start the smart way: book a PT evaluation today and create a safe, sustainable plan for your health and fitness goals.
