Therapeutic exercise may be the most important part of physical therapy. Although manual therapy makes a significant difference in getting the patient better, therapeutic exercise (therex) is essential to ensure long term success.
Your physical therapist will prescribe specific exercises based on your injury in order to maximize strength and function with your activities of daily living. Along with the exercises you do in the clinic your physical therapist will give you a home exercise program (HEP) for you to continue after you finish your course of physical therapy.