Sep 19th, 2017
There are many different methods of treating pain and injuries currently, but one component the medical field agrees on throughout is the importance of rehabilitation and therapeutic exercise in helping recover from pain and injuries, and preventing and minimizing future recurrences. Too often, patients come in the door, want a quick fix to their pain and ignore this is crucial step in their recovery. A lack of exercise can prevent healing, and worsen the injury by leading to stiffness, weakness and deconditioning of the surrounding muscles. Inactivity deprives the injured area of the blood flow and nutrients it needs to heal. Movement is required to keep muscles, ligaments, tendons, discs and joints healthy.
Medications and other passive therapies are helpful in providing pain relief, but to really stimulate the healing process, therapeutic exercise is required. Exercise in a controlled, gradual and progressive manner is critical component of recovering from an injury or chronic pain.
A comprehensive exercise program should consist of range of motion and stretching exercises, combined with strengthening and endurance exercises. Range of motion and stretching exercises are important because with most injuries, some progressive stiffness will occur with inactivity due to pain, spasming of the surrounding musculature and increased inflammation. With chronic pain this stiffness is even greater. Stretching and range of motion exercises help return the joint to its normal range of motion. Strengthening and endurance exercises are important to stabilize the area, and prevent future recurrences.
Of course with injuries you need to be careful about adding certain exercises to soon and risking further injury. Therapeutic exercise should be done under the supervision of a medical professional who can evaluate your injury, determine the best exercises for you and gradually progress them. If you have any questions, or would like to get started on a therapeutic exercise program for any injuries you may have, book at appointment at The Wellness Center to see any of our Doctor’s, who can develop a safe and effective therapeutic exercise program.