Physiotherapy Exercises

We are all familiar with the fact that physiotherapists are specialists that specialize in recommending suitable physical exercise in order to procure a solution to injury and also enhance fitness level.

Physiotherapists are not only trained in injury diagnosis but in addition, they are well trained in exercise physiology or the act of exercise. This serves as an excellent opportunity for the physiotherapist to evaluate and diagnose your injury but as an addendum to prescribe injury, fitness, or age-fitting activities meant for you at that point in time.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU STOP EXERCISING?

In the absence of even simple exercises, some muscles in the body can become weak. At the moment when this supporting muscle becomes weak, the injured muscles become less supportive, and you become vulnerable to lasting symptoms or further injury. In addition to this, you can over-activate adjacent muscles that may prompt further injury.

It is additionally critical to comprehend that regardless of whether you are “in a good shape,” you may have important but weak localized or stable muscles. When you are battling with injury, there are some exercises that you need to perform, which help strengthen the muscles around your injury and the adjacent joints. It is the duty of your physiotherapist to examine your muscle’s function and prescribe the best exercises which are of utmost importance to your case. Physiotherapy exercises when performed correctly whether under the supervision or recommendation of trained professionals can turn out to be extremely beneficial for your injury. 

WHAT EXERCISES SHOULD YOU PERFORM?

This is determined by your physiotherapist, and the exercise mustn't be painful. Though some trainers have a divergent opinion and they believe that the more painful, the better, this might not be the best for your body or injury. Because a physiotherapist is not a gym trainer, their sole purpose is to help recover your injury or prevent any further damage. 

Your physiotherapist is in the best position to thoroughly examine you and prescribe a series of exercises that are the best for you. This post will have some types of exercise which are the best for you.

Also Read:  Physiotherapy for Tennis Elbow

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF EXERCISES?

Stretching exercises: 

The stretching exercises are done to improve the body's flexibility. For this exercise to be effective, the most important thing is to allow the segments of the body involved to align, and this is done by correcting the compensations. Moreover, it is important to breathe in well so that the muscles can relax and also reduce resistance. To be effective, the stretching positions are held for a long time, and also small numbers of repetitions are required. 

Proprioception activities

These are exercises done at the moment when there is a reduction in the ability to know where the body is in space (position) or how the body moves in space (movement). For instance, the practice of balance in one of the legs improves the sense of the position of the lower limb. Also, there are some cases where exercises that require drawing of the letters of the alphabet with the end of the trained limb are prescribed to improve the direction of movement.

Through physiotherapy, you can explore both static and dynamic balance. As people age their bones become fragile and they’re vulnerable to injuries. Poor dynamic balance also affects sporting ability. Balancing exercises are there to help you adjust and maintain as your center of gravity shifts. Proper balance exercises should not cause symptoms nor increase them and a few minutes of it is enough. Your physiotherapist may guide you to practice simple exercises such as single-leg balance for a few minutes daily. 

Functional exercises

Functional exercises are recommended to rehearse a regular daily existence movement, which is accompanied by some challenges after your injury. Whenever demonstrated, the physiotherapist may request that you practice a particular movement that you perform at work, at home, or in your game. Usually, the functional exercises emphasize restoring strength with an intention of making the everyday activities of patients easier once they return to their normal life. 

Cardio-vascular exercises

Some good examples of exercise in this category include stationary biking, walking, running, elliptical, and swimming. These types of exercises are done in order to regain your previous level of effort. One other suitable kind of exercise that belongs to this class is yoga; it is one of the exercises that take the top when it comes to cardiovascular health. It also improves flexibility, strength, mobility, and proprioception.

Motion Exercises

Each joint has a normal range of motion, however, the joint movement differs from person to person.  There are a few types of motion exercises such as passive range of motion exercises, active exercises, and active-assistance exercises. If you’re unable to move your limb then the physiotherapist will move your limb along the joint. In some cases, the patient is able to move their limbs, although the physiotherapist will complete the joint movement until the patient feels pain. In active exercises, the patient can perform on his own without the physiotherapist’s help. 

Strength Exercises

Strengthening exercises are meant to increase muscle strength, thus reducing the chances of future injuries. In case of injury when your muscles are inactive the need of strengthening them increases more than ever.  For building core stability here are some strengthening exercises. 

Plank or Prone Hold, pretty simple to perform. All you’ve to do is lie down on your stomach, lift yourself on your toes and elbow, then try to hold on as long as you can.

You can also perform this abdomen muscle-stabilizing exercise called Transverse Abdominus. Lie down on your back, gently draw the part of your abdomen situated below the belly button upwards and inwards away from the line of your belt. Try to keep your ribcage relaxed throughout this and breathe normally. 

Some of the benefits of strengthening exercise include and are not limited to, improved strength, endurance, and muscle power.

Conclusion

There is no need to worry about how to do the different types of exercises listed above; your physiotherapist will show you how to go about it. And also they will make sure that progression is done appropriately. It is advised to see a physiotherapist, he will prepare a tailored exercise program as per your need. You should also note that the physiotherapy exercises can be both rehabilitative as well as preventive based on your condition.

Author - Denish Tamakuwala

Denish Tamakuwala is a Physiotherapist and Clinic Director at Innova Physio. He is a Registered Physiotherapist with a Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy from the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Science. He obtained a Diploma degree (honours) in Fitness & Health Promotion from Humber College. He possesses extensive knowledge and practical experience in therapy and rehabilitation treatment. Apart from assisting his patients through physiotherapy, he loves to compose informational articles to educate the mass.