Progressive Overload in Physical Therapy: A Philadelphia PT on Why Comfortable Isn’t Enough
In our latest Instagram video, Chaundy Titus, an exercise physiologist, works out with Molly Greenspan, PT, DPT. Molly tells Chaundy to do whatever feels comfortable, and Chaundy walks away. It’s a joke, and it’s also the point of progressive overload in physical therapy: you only get stronger if the work gets harder over time.
What Progressive Overload Means
Progressive overload is gradually raising the demand on your body as it adapts. You can add weight, reps, sets, or range of motion, or slow the tempo. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends raising the load 2% to 10% once you can do one to two reps over your target in two sessions in a row. That guidance is for healthy adults. In rehab, your PT sets the pace based on how you respond.
Why “Whatever’s Comfortable” Doesn’t Build Strength
Your body adapts to the stress you give it. If every session feels easy, nothing asks it to change. The CDC defines muscle-strengthening as anything that makes your muscles work harder than usual.
Comfortable is a fine place to start, especially after surgery or injury. It’s a poor place to stay.
Challenge Without Pain
Harder shouldn’t mean sharp. Some rehab uses a pain-monitoring model. In a randomized trial of Achilles tendinopathy, patients exercised with pain up to 5 out of 10, as long as it didn’t climb afterward and settled by the next morning. That rule was built for tendons. Limits differ by condition, so your PT sets yours. Sharp pain or swelling means stop and get checked.
How Progressive Overload Works in Physical Therapy at Zarett
Your plan starts with an assessment. Then it builds one step at a time: a little more weight, a few more reps, or a bigger range of motion, with your response guiding each change. Our fitness programs are designed by physical therapists and supervised one-on-one by exercise physiologists. Feel free to schedule an appointment with us.
