Goal setting
Before starting rehabilitation for your wrist and hand, it is important to consider setting some goals. Setting meaningful activity goals can help with motivation during rehabilitation as often the process of recovery can be slow.
Setting activity goals (alongside your exercise targets) and tracking your progress, allows you to see the improvements with your rehabilitation. If you are struggling to achieve these goals then you can make the necessary changes to your rehabilitation programme as required.
There are a few things worth considering when setting goals.
They key is to set goals that are:
- Realistic (considering your condition and your previous level of function)
- Enjoyable
- Specific (to your needs)
- Timed (setting a date or time scale you are working towards)
An example of a goal for hand/wrist pain is shown below:
‘By the end of September, I would like to be feeling more positive about my base of thumb pain. I want to be able to know my limits and what to do to avoid/minimize the risk of a flare”
At set intervals (weekly/monthly) you can review this to check you are on track to meet your goals. If you continue to see no progress, speak with a health care professional to see if they can help you problem solve, allowing you to get back on track.