Learn how to motivate your patients to engage in physical activity using behavior change and motivation strategies. Find out how to assess readiness, set goals, provide feedback, reward behavior, and overcome barriers.

One thing I found helpful with my patients is moving towards a goal instead of moving away from the pain. As a pain relief practitioner, I see clients that have body pain and want to get rid of that pain. At this point they are very motivated but once their pain goes down from let's say 8 to 2, so does their motivation. So instead of concentrating on getting rid of their pain I concentrate on what is that pain preventing them of doing. That way they don't stop until they are able to accomplish their goal.

What are the best ways to encourage physical activity in patients?

Physical activity is essential for maintaining and improving health, preventing chronic diseases, and enhancing quality of life. However, many patients struggle to adopt and sustain a regular exercise routine, especially if they face barriers such as lack of time, motivation, support, or access to facilities. As a healthcare professional, you can play a key role in encouraging physical activity in your patients by using some effective strategies that are based on behavior change and motivation theories. Here are some of the best ways to help your patients get moving and stay active.

1 Assess readiness

Before you prescribe any physical activity plan, you need to assess your patient's readiness to change their behavior. You can use a tool such as the Transtheoretical Model, which identifies five stages of change: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. Depending on the stage your patient is in, you can tailor your intervention to match their needs and goals. For example, if your patient is in the precontemplation stage, you can raise their awareness of the benefits of physical activity and the risks of inactivity. If they are in the contemplation stage, you can help them weigh the pros and cons of changing their behavior and address any barriers or concerns they may have.

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Chandra Shekhar Karmakar

Senior Manager - Medication Delivery Solutions at BD
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- I agree but you can only create awareness and education in this stage. However, there should be some motivating factor to it which make people to initiate things. Eg. Some guide or coach to be assigned for initial 7 days follow up and then fortnightly once and have some kind of AI trackers for the patients especially geriatric group.

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2 Set SMART goals

One of the most effective ways to motivate your patient to engage in physical activity is to help them set SMART goals. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. SMART goals are clear, realistic, and trackable, which can increase your patient's confidence and commitment. For example, instead of setting a vague goal such as "exercise more", you can help your patient set a SMART goal such as "walk for 30 minutes at least three times a week for the next month". You can also help your patient break down their long-term goals into smaller, short-term goals that are easier to accomplish and celebrate.

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Ani Papazyan

Pain Resolution Practitioner, International Best Selling Author, Speaker, Educator
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One thing I found helpful with my patients is moving towards a goal instead of moving away from the pain. As a pain relief practitioner, I see clients that have body pain and want to get rid of that pain. At this point they are very motivated but once their pain goes down from let's say 8 to 2, so does their motivation. So instead of concentrating on getting rid of their pain I concentrate on what is that pain preventing them of doing. That way they don't stop until they are able to accomplish their goal.

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3 Provide feedback and support

Another important strategy to encourage physical activity in your patients is to provide them with regular feedback and support. Feedback can help your patient monitor their progress, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and adjust their plan if needed. You can use different methods to give feedback, such as verbal praise, charts, graphs, or apps. Support can help your patient cope with challenges, overcome setbacks, and maintain their motivation. You can offer support in various ways, such as providing information, advice, referrals, or resources. You can also encourage your patient to seek support from other sources, such as family, friends, peers, or groups.

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4 Use positive reinforcement

Positive reinforcement is a powerful technique to increase the likelihood of your patient repeating a desired behavior. Positive reinforcement involves rewarding your patient for engaging in physical activity with something that they value or enjoy. Rewards can be intrinsic or extrinsic, tangible or intangible, immediate or delayed. For example, you can reward your patient with intrinsic rewards such as praise, recognition, satisfaction, or fun. You can also reward them with extrinsic rewards such as stickers, badges, certificates, vouchers, or prizes. You can help your patient choose rewards that are meaningful, appropriate, and consistent with their goals.

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Judy Feldhausen

Holistic Health Practitioner, Keynote Speaker | Ask me about creating simple healthy meals at home!
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Positive reinforcement boosts motivation, enhances self-esteem, reinforces healthy behaviors, reduces anxiety, encourages long-term engagement, and increases personal satisfaction in physical activity routines.

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5 Address barriers and challenges

Even with the best intentions and plans, your patient may face barriers and challenges that prevent them from engaging in physical activity. Some of the common barriers include lack of time, energy, money, equipment, space, or transportation. Some of the common challenges include boredom, fatigue, pain, injury, illness, or stress. You can help your patient address these barriers and challenges by using problem-solving skills, coping skills, and contingency plans. For example, you can help your patient find alternative ways to fit physical activity into their schedule, such as walking during lunch breaks, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or doing household chores. You can also help them find alternative activities that suit their preferences, abilities, and resources, such as dancing, gardening, or playing with their kids.

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6 Review and revise

The final strategy to encourage physical activity in your patients is to review and revise their plan regularly. Reviewing and revising can help your patient evaluate their outcomes, reflect on their experiences, and learn from their feedback. You can use tools such as questionnaires, diaries, logs, or trackers to collect and analyze data on your patient's physical activity levels, goals, barriers, challenges, rewards, and satisfaction. You can then use this information to make changes to their plan if needed, such as increasing or decreasing the intensity, frequency, or duration of their activities, adding or removing rewards, or introducing new activities. You can also use this opportunity to celebrate your patient's achievements, reinforce their motivation, and encourage them to continue their physical activity journey.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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What are the best ways to encourage physical activity in patients?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Assess readiness

2 Set SMART goals

3 Provide feedback and support

4 Use positive reinforcement

5 Address barriers and challenges

6 Review and revise

7 Here’s what else to consider

Healthcare

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What are the best ways to encourage physical activity in patients?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Assess readiness

2 Set SMART goals

3 Provide feedback and support

4 Use positive reinforcement

5 Address barriers and challenges

6 Review and revise

7 Here’s what else to consider

Healthcare

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

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