Rehabilitation exercises
Exercise is an important element to recovery. Based on your condition, lifestyle and occupational needs a graded exercise approach is utilized to meet not only the requirements of your condition but also one which will consider your own activity goals.
Principles
Exercises are based on your own injury. The underlying principles are to first support and protect the area of injury during the healing phase; secondly the aim is provide a timely but safe return to activity by focusing on recovery of range of motion, strength , coordination ( also called proprioception ) and most importantly function. Exercises can be done in a variety of ways in our facilities from using free weights, to circuit training, adjustable lifting stations ( to replicate anywhere from low level to overhead reaching ) or use of simple elastic bands or exercise balls.
Targeting your activities
Targeting your activities means making sure the exercises address the activity that’s really at stake in your case. In our terms we call this a functional approach or exercises that address key areas of the positions, strength or coordination requirements of your lifestyle. Here are some examples of functional requirements.
Home
This can include activities such as gardening and hobbies but sometimes simple but important things such as staying mobile and safe which includes stairs, getting in and out of your bed, chair or outdoor mobility including getting in and out of a vehicle.
Work
Addressing work means first addressing the level of demands your occupation requires. This is very different when your job requires frequent high ( above shoulder level) or low level reaching ( frequent bending or working in awkward or confined positions ). Other jobs in health care for example require lifting, transfers or repositioning as part of their work.
However even sedentary (office) job have their own demands which are repetitive and problematic ( working constantly on a computer and sitting to name a few).
The point here is to give you better tips, tools, training and home exercises to address your specific needs. This is not only worth doing after an injury but sometimes as importantly, before an injury occurs. Whether you are keen on prevention or you have started to experience occasional symptoms with certain activities or positions we can review and discuss your needs.
Leisure
Now there is an important one. At any age when sport or recreational leisure remains important to you, a functional approach means targeting motions, positions, agility or coordination which are required in your specific leisure. Examples would include, golfing or racquet sports, running or walking, yoga and martial arts to name a few. The point is we will ensure your exercises will address your needs for return to activity or sometimes just for injury prevention.