
Exercise Program Generator
Generate evidence-based exercise programs with progressions and HEP handouts in minutes
What You Can Do
You input clinical assessment data—diagnosis, functional limitations, contraindications, and goals—and Claude generates comprehensive exercise programs with step-by-step instructions, loading progressions, regression options, safety precautions, and patient-friendly HEP handouts. This skill ensures clinical consistency across your caseload while dramatically reducing documentation time for common conditions like ankle sprains, rotator cuff pathology, knee osteoarthritis, and low back pain.
Features
Claude recommends exercises based on diagnosis, mechanism of injury, and functional goals with clinical justification
Automatic progression parameters including reps, sets, resistance, duration, and ROM advancement based on tissue healing phases
Multiple exercise variations for different pain levels, strength capabilities, and equipment availability (home vs. clinic)
Automated red flags, movement precautions, and symptom monitoring criteria specific to the diagnosis
Professionally formatted home exercise program documentation with illustrations cues, frequency/duration, and activity pacing guidelines
Staged progressions for return-to-work and return-to-sport with objective criteria for advancement
Patient-friendly explanations of the condition, activity modifications, and self-management strategies
Built-in reassessment intervals and progression decision trees to guide program advancement
Example Output
Input: 45-year-old with right rotator cuff strain, limited active ROM (forward flexion 110°), no neural symptoms, office worker, goal: pain-free reaching and computer work.
Output:
Week 1–2: Pain Management & Mobility
- Pendulum circles: 2×15 slow circles, 2× daily
- Supine shoulder flexion (assisted): 2×10 with cane, within pain-free range
- Scapular clock (wall): 2×8 directions, 1× daily
Week 3–4: Active ROM & Gentle Strengthening
- Prone shoulder flexion: 2×12 with 1 lb, progress to bodyweight
- Side-lying external rotation: 2×12 with resistance band (yellow), pain-free only
- Quadruped shoulder taps: 2×10 each side
Week 5–6: Functional Strengthening
- Standing row with band: 3×12 with resistance band (red), controlled 2-second hold
- Modified push-up (wall → incline): 3×8, progress to lower incline
Safety Precautions: Avoid overhead lifting >90° until week 5. Stop immediately if sharp pain occurs. Monitor for increased swelling or night pain—cue clinician if present.
Patient Education: Rotator cuff strains heal in 6–8 weeks with consistent exercise. Posture breaks every 30 minutes reduce symptom flare.
What's Included
- SKILL.md instruction file with clinical decision flowchart:
- Assessment data template: Structured intake form for diagnosis, ROM, strength, contraindications, and patient goals
- Exercise prescription framework: Indexed database of evidence-based exercises organized by joint, movement pattern, and phase of healing
- HEP handout template: Professionally formatted patient-ready format with space for clinician notation, frequency, and duration
- Progression decision tree: Objective criteria for advancing exercises based on reassessment findings (ROM, pain, strength, functional performance)
- Return-to-activity protocol templates: Staged progressions for RTW and RTS with specific benchmarks
Who It's For
- Physical Therapists — Create standardized, evidence-based exercise programs for acute injury, post-op, and chronic pain conditions
- Occupational Therapists — Generate functional activity progressions and ADL modification protocols with patient education
- Athletic Trainers — Develop return-to-sport protocols and injury prevention programs
- Chiropractors and Manual Therapists — Supplement manual treatment with home exercise programs tailored to patient goals
- Clinic managers/Directors — Standardize exercise prescription across clinicians for common conditions to improve quality and efficiency
Best For
- Creating home exercise program (HEP) handouts before patient discharge
- Generating progressive exercise prescriptions for post-operative rehabilitation (ACL, rotator cuff, hip labrum)
- Developing return-to-work and return-to-sport protocols with objective advancement criteria
- Standardizing exercise selection across your clinic for high-volume diagnoses (ankle sprain, knee OA, low back pain)
- Progressing established programs after objective reassessment with updated ROM, strength, and functional data
- Creating patient education materials on condition management, activity pacing, and self-management strategies







