Physical Exercise Rehabilitation
Many patients ask what the key is to staying pain-free and maintaining the improvements they made through treatment. The answer is in most cases is the right combination exercise rehabilitation and maintenance care.
Rehabilitative exercise however must be specific to each individual and their condition targeting the exact muscular weaknesses and movement restrictions observed on physical testing. Beyond that more specific systems such as balance and proprioception are essential to restore the proper movement through a joint essentially re-training movement patterns that are non-painful and healthy in sport and regular activities. Exercises must also offer a step-wise progression to challenge your body as it adapts to the previous demands brining you closer and closer to completing your everyday tasks and leisure activities in an effective and pain-free manner.
Exercise programs are demonstrated and patients are instructed on their performance of the exercises before they are released to complete the home portion of the program. We make every effort to keep your exercises low-tech and easy to replicate at home.
Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) Rehabilitation
PNF rehabilitation involves various techniques that move a patient’s dysfunctional joint through a healthy movement pattern directed by the doctor while the doctor also challenges the supporting muscles to activate or relax through manual resistance and touch. This is a step most often missed in the rehabilitation process, but is the key bridge between reducing pain with passive therapies and improving strength and flexibility with an exercise rehabilitation program because if an unhealthy movement pattern remains even after the initial associated pain is relieved, the rehabilitation exercises will only reinforce bad movement habits. These are the injuries which are doomed to repeat themselves! As treatment progresses the movements become smooth, stronger, and pain-free. The new patterns are then practiced until they become automatic and override the previously injurious dysfunctional movements. Example of a shoulder PNF strengthening technique: Nerve Mobilisations Nerves course throughout the human body over, around, and through many other structures. Though resilient, it is not uncommon for a nerve to become ‘entrapped’ by any of these structures (e.g. bulging disc, tight band of muscle, narrowing of a joint space due to arthritis). In another scenario the nerve becomes inflamed due to trauma/injury, compression, and therefore lack of oxygen, creating inflammation and swelling. When the nerve has swelled beyond its very limited space it can no longer work effectively and this is perceived as weakness of change in sensation. Nerve pain can be perceived as pins and needles, burning, numbness, pain, electrical shock-like sensations or just a feeling on your skin different than normal. Weakness of a muscle or an entire action is another late sign of nerve entrapment or damage. Nerve mobilisations comprise a series of painless, sequential (or simultaneous) body movements guided by the doctor that either allow a nerve to glide between tissues (flossing) or tension it to promote lengthening and repair. As the nerve is freed and given time heal symptoms will abate. Chiromechanics is your Rehabilitation / Rehab services provider for Collingwood, Wasaga Beach, Thornbury, Meaford, Stayner, Nottawasaga, Creemore, Barrie, Midland, Owen Sound, Georgian Bay and Central Ontario |
