Survey Reveals Reasons Patients Skip At-Home Physical Therapy

Forgetting, lack of time, and not seeing quick results are top barriers to completing assigned exercises.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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A new survey by the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center found that about 76% of people skip doing their at-home physical therapy exercises. The most common reasons were forgetting (40%), lack of time (33%), and not seeing quick results (19%). Failing to do these exercises can lead to longer recoveries and additional medical procedures.

Why it matters

Completing at-home physical therapy exercises is crucial for patient recovery, but this survey highlights significant barriers that physical therapists need to address. Understanding the reasons patients skip these exercises can help develop better strategies to improve adherence and lead to better outcomes.

The details

The survey, which polled 1,006 Americans, found that only 24% of respondents completed all of their assigned physical therapy homework. About 28% completed 75%-99% of their sessions, while 11% completed 25%-49% of the exercises. Older adults aged 65 and up were more likely than younger adults under 30 to complete all assigned exercises (30% vs 12%). Other reasons for not completing at-home PT included pain or fear of making an injury worse (18%), not having the right space or equipment at home (13%), and not thinking the exercises were necessary (12%).

  • The survey was commissioned by Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in 2026.

The players

Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

A leading academic medical center that conducted the survey on patient adherence to at-home physical therapy exercises.

Kyle Smith

A physical therapist at Ohio State Medical Center who explains the importance of patients completing their assigned at-home exercises.

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What they’re saying

“As physical therapists, we need to educate patients that it is going to take some work on their end to reach the goals they have to ultimately build strength and mobility and decrease the body's pain sensitivity.”

— Kyle Smith, Physical Therapist (cleveland.com)

What’s next

Physical therapists plan to use the survey findings to develop new strategies to improve patient adherence to at-home exercises, such as providing better reminders and demonstrating how the exercises can lead to quicker results.

The takeaway

This survey highlights the need for physical therapists to find more effective ways to motivate patients to complete their assigned at-home exercises, which are crucial for recovery but often overlooked due to factors like forgetfulness, lack of time, and impatience. Addressing these barriers could lead to better outcomes for physical therapy patients.