Therapeutic exercises are used to strengthen injured body parts after suffering from chronic or acute injuries. The difference in our office, is that these exercises are prescribed specific to your particular injury and are only given when your body is capable of handling the exercises. A very common occurrence now days is for patients to come into the office complaining that the exercises at the gym or with the physical therapist made their problem worse. Sometimes it is because they were given the wrong exercise, but most of the time, it is because they were given these exercises too soon. Exercises are most effective after the joints and muscles are relaxed, the nerves are not irritated, and the inflammation has subsided. In our office it is step 3 in the healing process.
Therapeutic exercises, when done appropriately, can help improve balance, proprioception, flexibility, strength, endurance, and joint stability. Along with in office exercises, patients are taught exercises to do at home or the gym so that each patient can take an active role in their recovery.