As physios, we love it when our patients are passionate about movement. There’s nothing better than seeing people eager to return to their daily routines. Whether that’s running, lifting, or just staying active.

But here’s the thing: too often, people avoid coming to see us because they assume we’ll say, “You need to stop exercising.” That couldn’t be further from the truth.

Myth: Physios Will Make You Rest Completely

Very rarely will we tell someone to stop moving altogether. Our role is to help you modify your load, not eliminate it.

Even when one part of your body is injured, you can often continue to train safely. Exercise isn’t just about strength or cardio. It includes mobility, stability, coordination, and flexibility. These all help your body handle load more efficiently.

By adjusting intensity, volume, or type of movement, we help you stay active while your body heals. It’s not about stopping movement, it’s about smart movement.

“I Got Injured — Can I Still Go to the Gym?”

Absolutely, with the right plan!

If you have a knee injury, for example, you can still work on your upper body and core. Or even lower body exercises that don’t irritate the knee. We help you find pain-free load options that maintain your strength and fitness.

The key is load tolerance. Your tissues (muscles, tendons, ligaments) adapt to the load you put through them. The right amount of stress helps them get stronger. Too little and they weaken, too much and they flare up. A physio helps you find that sweet spot.

“I’ve Had My 6-Week Doctor Check After Having a Baby — I Can Go Back to Everything, Right?”

False!

Your body goes through massive changes during pregnancy and postpartum. Shifts in hormones, posture, abdominal pressure, and muscle strength. Even if you feel “ready,” your body may not yet tolerate the same load and impact as before.

We often see new mums return to running or lifting too soon, before rebuilding deep core and pelvic floor strength. That’s when injuries or pain sneak in.

Your physio can assess your load readiness. Things like control, strength endurance, and tissue resilience, to help you rebuild safely.
If you’ve recently had a baby, it’s especially valuable to see a pelvic floor physiotherapist for a personalised assessment. They can check how your core and pelvic floor are functioning. They’ll ensure your pressure management is optimal, and help you safely progress back to higher-impact exercise.

“The Pain Is Gone, So I’m Good to Go!”

Pain is only one part of the picture. Pain may settle before your tissues are fully healed or before they can handle your previous training load. That’s why physiotherapists perform specific tests to assess whether your body is ready to return to activity. They’ll check strength, control, range of motion, and endurance, before you jump back to full training.

Tissue healing timelines vary. While pain relief is a great milestone, gradual reloading is what ensures you don’t re-injure the area.

This is where many people fall into what we call the boom–bust cycle. You feel good, so you ramp everything up quickly. That’s the “boom.” But your tissues aren’t quite ready for that sudden increase, and pain or irritation flares up again. That’s the “bust.”
Then you rest, feel better, and repeat the same pattern.

Breaking this cycle means learning how to pace your load. Increasing gradually, staying consistent, and giving your tissues time to adapt. It’s not about holding you back. It’s about helping you move forward without setbacks.

“I Missed a Week of Training — I’ll Just Go Harder to Catch Up.”

We’ve all been there. Life happens, kids get sick, sleep disappears, and training takes a back seat.

But when you suddenly increase your load after time off, your tissues don’t have time to adapt. This creates a sudden spike in acute load. That’s where injury risk rises. We see this commonly in running programs when a patient is training for an event. 

Think of it like sun exposure. If you haven’t been in the sun for weeks, you wouldn’t spend the whole day outside without sunscreen. The same applies to your muscles and tendons. They need gradual re-exposure to load.

Your coach or physio can help you build a stepwise loading plan that keeps your tissues conditioned without overload and reduces the chance of a serious injury. 

“I Don’t Follow a Routine — I Just Train When I Can.”

Flexibility is great for life balance, but your body loves consistency.

Training four heavy sessions one week and two the next might feel okay, but those fluctuations can create uneven load patterns. Your tissues need time and repetition to adapt. Irregular training makes that process harder.

Studies show that large acute-to-chronic load spikes (big increases in short-term load compared to what your body is used to) are strongly linked to injury risk.
Consistency, even if it’s at a lower volume, helps your body build a stronger foundation.

“I’ve Been Doing the Same Routine for Weeks, but I’m Not Seeing Progress.”

This is one of the most common frustrations we hear. You’re training hard, you’re consistent, but you’ve hit a plateau.

That’s because your body adapts to repeated stress. Once your tissues and nervous system become used to a certain load, they stop getting stronger.
To keep progressing, you need progressive overload. Small, structured increases in weight, reps, intensity, or variation.

This doesn’t mean you need to go heavier every week; even a 2–5% change in load or new movement variation can reignite adaptation.
Your physio can help you plan these gradual progressions safely to avoid overtraining or plateaus.

Remember: growth happens when the body is challenged just enough. Not too little, not too much.

“I Took a Long Break — I’ll Just Jump Back In.”

We love the motivation, but after a long break, your capacity to handle load drops, even if you feel strong.

Muscles, tendons, and connective tissues all lose tolerance when they’re not used regularly.
Jumping back to your old routine too quickly can cause a flare-up or even a new injury.

Instead, rebuild gradually with progressive reloading. Increase volume or intensity by around 10–15% per week, depending on how your body responds.
A physio can help monitor this progression and ensure you’re rebuilding both strength and resilience.

Final Thoughts

Your physio isn’t here to stop you from moving. We’re here to help you move better and longer.

Understanding and respecting load is the key to sustainable training. Whether you’re returning after injury, postpartum, or just chasing performance goals, your body thrives on progressive, consistent loading, not extremes.

If you’re unsure where to start or how to modify your load safely, book a session with your physio. We’ll help you stay active, strong, and confident doing what you love.

• Bronwyn