Which option best enhances patient compliance for home exercises?

• A. Written instructions alone
• B. Home exercise programs with written instructions AND drawings/photographs
• C. Verbal instructions only
• D. No instructions

Answer: (B)

Clear, multimodal patient education—combining written instructions with drawings or photographs—greatly improves adherence to home exercise programs. When information is available in both text and visuals, patients can reference exact steps, body positions, and movement sequences at home, which reduces ambiguity and memory burden. Written directions provide a concise reference, while drawings or photos illustrate posture, alignment, and progression, helping patients perform exercises correctly and safely. This approach also accommodates different learning preferences and literacy levels, supports caregivers, and reinforces consistency over time, all of which boost the likelihood that exercises are performed as prescribed.

Verbal instructions alone can be easily forgotten or misinterpreted once the session ends, and having no instructions at all leaves patients without a clear plan to follow. Written instructions by themselves may still be unclear for some, especially if complex movements are involved or if literacy is a barrier. The combination of both text and visuals addresses these gaps and fosters better understanding, recall, and confidence in doing the exercises independently.