Addressing Underloading in Rehab
Helping People Regain Strength with Purpose
Let’s talk about something we see all the time in rehab—people being underloaded. That means they’re not lifting, moving, or challenging their bodies enough to actually build strength. And it’s not their fault—it’s easy to think that pain means we need to hold back. But if we don’t push just enough, recovery can stall, and progress slows way down.
At AR Physical Therapy, we help people find that sweet spot: where rehab is safe, effective, and actually works. And we do it by combining two simple, powerful tools—RPE (Rating of Perceived Exertion) and 1RM (One Repetition Max)—to guide how much intensity is just right for each person.
Making Loading Make Sense
Here’s a quick breakdown:
- **RPE** is how hard an activity *feels*—on a scale from 0 to 10. Simple, right?
- **1RM** is the heaviest weight you could lift once. We don’t need people maxing out to use it—we just estimate based on what they can do now.
Turns out, RPE and 1RM often match up pretty well. So we can use them together to make smart decisions about how hard someone should be working in a session.
For example, if someone’s goal is building strength, we aim for an RPE of 7–8. That’s the zone where muscles get the stimulus they need. If they’re just easing back in after surgery or injury, we might start around a 4–5. It’s all about matching the effort to the person and the moment.
Why This Matters
Underloading can be sneaky. A person might feel like they’re ‘doing their exercises,’ but if those exercises are too easy, there’s not enough stimulus to spark change. That means slower recovery, less strength, and more frustration. We’ve seen it too many times—and that’s why we measure what matters.
At AR Physical Therapy, we use tech like Kinvent force plates and handheld dynamometers to track force, power, and symmetry in real-time. Whether someone’s coming back from an ACL tear or dealing with chronic shoulder pain, we know where they’re at and how far they’ve come. That kind of insight helps us adjust the plan in ways that really matter—for *all populations*, not just athletes.
Soreness: What's Normal and When to Adjust
Feeling sore after a session isn’t a bad thing—it means the body is responding. But there’s a difference between normal muscle soreness and pain that signals we’ve pushed too hard. We use a simple system to help guide decisions:
- **Green (0–3/10)**: You feel a little tight or sore, but it fades quickly. Keep going.
- **Yellow (4–6/10)**: You’re feeling it more, maybe lingering for a day or two. We might adjust load or focus on recovery.
- **Red (7–10/10)**: Sharp, lasting, or increasing pain. Time to stop and reassess.
Most people learn their body's signals pretty quickly with this system. It’s empowering, and it keeps progress on track.
Final Thoughts
Rehab isn’t about ‘just getting by.’ It’s about rebuilding strength, confidence, and capacity in a way that lasts. If we don’t challenge the body, it doesn’t adapt. And if we don’t measure, we’re just guessing.
So whether someone’s training to get back to sport, back to work, or just back to feeling like themselves—we help them load with purpose. That’s how we unlock real progress and help people feel strong again.