Physio strengthening exercises

Are you familiar with strengthening and rehabilitation? Our physiotherapist Jason Lee explores this topic and highlights how our strengthening programs can help.

Strengthening exercises for injury recovery

Strengthening and exercising plays a critical role in the completion of rehabilitation. Following the reduction in pain and resolution of majority of symptoms, strengthening is important to fully resolve the condition and prevent the likelihood of recurrence.

Exercise and strengthening should be tailored for the individual whether it is for a return to sport/performance or simply to get back to normal Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). Exercises and aims of the strengthening phase of rehabilitation are dependent on patient goals.

Strengthening relates not only to getting stronger but also involves power, endurance and speed. Additionally, quality and timing of muscle contractions are equally important.

Our physiotherapists at Malvern East Physiotherapy are well placed to assess and provide appropriate and safe resistance programs for their patients.

What are strength exercises?

Commonly following injury or pain, muscle groups become inhibited as a protective response. Therefore, correct exercises are designed to improve and restore strength.

Muscles have different roles. For example, some can be prime movers (eg. biceps bend the elbow) whereas others can be more for endurance and stability (eg. your deep core muscles).

Depending on what muscles are affected following injury, it is important to rehabilitate/strengthen specifically based on characteristics and use. Therefore it is also important that the rehabilitation and strengthening program involves a combination of both.

Strengthening exercises for lower back pain

Once symptoms are resolved, strengthening is important to prevent recurrent episodes of low back pain. 8 in 10 individuals experience episodes of low back pain. Recurrence of this pain is incredibly high within the next 3 months without sufficient rehabilitation.

In cases of low back pain, core muscles are commonly inhibited due to pain. Early stages of strength include recruiting and retraining deep stability muscles.  It is important to commonly focus on low level contractions performed regularly and often to improve endurance.

Basic strengthening exercises that are commonly done to treat low back pain include the bridge.

Equally important and often neglected, are the prime movers/larger muscles around the back.

Physio strengthening exercises

Here at Malvern East Physiotherapy, we have specific clinical strength programs available as well as supervised comprehensive exercise programs. If you find it challenging to find the appropriate equipment and time required, these programs would be ideal for you.

Expect that as part of physiotherapy/treatment plan, your physiotherapist will take you through the best/optimal exercises as part of rehab using our custom rehabilitation gym and equipment.

Our physiotherapists will have you utilise the latest equipment for exercises and perform a range of tests to measure and show your benefits and progress.

If you are interested in our strengthening programs, book in to see one of our qualified physiotherapists as soon as possible. You can book online or call our friendly team on 9571 6888.