How Therapeutic Exercise Can Restore Strength, Balance And Mobility To Those Recovering From Injury Or Disease

By Rosella Campbell


Physical therapy involves specialized movements designed to remedy impairments in the body's mobility. It is used to help people recovering from health conditions, illnesses and injuries that limit their ability to function in their daily lives. The aim of this type of therapy is to help patients build strength, mobility, balance and coordination. Therapeutic exercise is a very well established modality and residents of Boston, MA have an excellent choice of practitioners to choose from.

Physical therapists help patients with a variety of impairments and work in a number of health-related environments. They can be found in hospitals, fitness centers, schools, care homes, hospices, and other establishments where rehabilitation care is undertaken. Many choose to specialize in particular areas such as sports injury, senior care, child care and orthopedics.

When designing a care program, a therapist will begin by examining their patient's medical history and making an assessment of their current capabilities. He or she may also draw upon information provided by lab studies and scans where needed. A care plan will then be designed that is tailored to the specific needs of the patient. As much as possible, the goal is always to restore the patient's physical capacity to normal.

Individual exercises are designed to target a particular part of the body, or particular joints or muscles. The therapist will show the patient how to execute each exercise, and how to do so for maximum benefit. This process involves trial and error, and the therapist will carefully monitor how the patient responds. Each exercise in the program can be altered as necessary or substituted for another depending on the patient's response.

The essence of any program of exercise will be to improve flexibility, strength, coordination and balance or several of these attributes. Strength exercises are of particular importance for patients who have experienced muscle loss. Gains in strength are also important for restoring a patient's confidence, which often suffers when physical capacity is lost.

Balance and coordination exercises are important for restoring balance that can be lost through certain medical conditions. They can also be critical for the elderly who may have difficulty walking and be vulnerable to falls. The aim of these exercises is to improve lower-body strength and also to develop the vestibular system (the part of the inner ear associated with balance and spatial perception).

Flexibility drills are aimed at restoring range of motion and suppleness. They also play an important role in preventing injury. These exercises come in many guises, but they all involve range of motion movements and stretching the muscles. Many of them also have the advantage of needing no equipment, and the positive effect they can have on a patient's sense of well-being.

This is a critical component of exercise and bodily movement in the broadest sense. Those who have suffered with injury or disease often suffer a dent to their confidence and sense of personal efficacy. By beginning to move again and use their bodies constructively, many experience a boost in their mood and self-confidence. This psychological and emotional improvement can help tremendously in aiding patients make a speedy and full recovery.




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