How Patients Can Restore Their Strength, Balance And Mobility With Therapeutic Exercise

By Rosella Campbell


Physical therapy is a way to remedy deficiencies in the body's capacity to function normally. They are employed in the rehabilitation of individuals recovering from illnesses and injuries that have impaired their physical capacity. In general, they are designed to restore strength, flexibility, mobility, balance and coordination. Therapeutic exercise is a long-established discipline and residents of Boston, MA will find there are many qualified therapists in their area.

Physical therapists are able to help people with a broad range of issues, and consequently they work in a variety of health-related settings. Some work in hospitals, but they can also be found in schools, research departments, hospices, fitness centers and other places where physical therapy is needed. Many choose to specialize in areas such as pediatrics, orthopedics, geriatrics and sports-related injury.

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.

Each exercise in the plan will be designed to isolate a particular body part, joint or muscle group. The therapist will instruct the patient on how to perform each exercise in order to get the most benefit from it. This is a process that may involve a certain amount of trial and error. The therapist will monitor the patient and assess how he or she responds to the prescribed exercises. Each exercise may be modified for intensity or duration, or substituted entirely depending on how the patient responds.

Overall, each program will include exercises to improve flexibility, balance, coordination and strength. Improvements in muscular strength in particular can play a crucial part in a patient's recovery. Those who have lost muscle mass and movement capacity can regain their strength and also their self-confidence.

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 sense of well-being raises an important insight about physical therapy. Exercise (and significant movement of virtually any kind, in fact) can have a hugely positive effect on someone's mood and degree of hope. Scientific studies have demonstrated conclusively that people who are positive and optimistic recover better and more quickly than those who are more pessimistic. Physical therapy can therefore play a critical role in helping patients recover both their physical capabilities and their quality of life.




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