Therapeutic Exercise Restores Mobility, Strength And Coordination To Those Suffering With 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 can help patients recover from a range of impairments and can be found in many different environments. These include hospitals, out-patient clinics, fitness centers, research centers, schools, hospices and care homes. Many therapists specialize in a particular branch of physical therapy and practice exclusively in areas such as sports, pediatrics, geriatrics 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.

In essence, the program that is prescribed will incorporate exercises designed to improve strength, flexibility, balance, coordination, or a combination of these. Strength training in particular can be of critical importance when patients have suffered muscle loss through inactivity. It can also play an important role in restoring confidence when patients have lost physical capacity.

Balance and coordination drills are essential for restoring lost balance that can result from certain illnesses. They are also of great help for mobility-impaired elderly patients who are at risk of falling. The aim here, is to develop lower-body strength and also the vestibular system (the area of the inner ear that controls spatial perception and balance).

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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