Why use a physical therapist to design your exercise or injury recovery program?
Designing an individualized program to rehabilitate injuries, improve strength, flexibility and efficient movement patterns requires knowledge of manual physical therapy as well as a variety of exercise and movement techniques.
Every body is unique and adapts to the environment in their own way. Inevitably, during and after injury and overuse, we quickly find adaptive compensations and motor patterning so we can continue with our daily routines; this is a survival mechanism and has probably been there since the beginning of time. These adaptations and compensations rarely become obvious until they cause pain or interfere significantly with our lifestyle.
For instance, a soft tissue injury such as a groin pull can heal in a healthy body in 6-8 weeks if treated. But what frequently happens is that the injured tissue begins to heal but is not yet strong enough to tolerate simple daily activities such as getting in or out of the car or running up stairs and consequently gets reinjured. This cycle can go on for a long time. Adaptive shortening occurs and more scar tissue is laid down. This begins to change the alignment of the pelvis in relation to the leg. The spine begins to compensate by side bending and rotating. Most clients that I have seen in my 20 years of practice as a physical therapist and movement trainer, have had many similar episodes. By the time they come to me there are multiple levels of adaptive patterning occurring. These need to be identified and properly treated.
As a manual physical therapist
I will take you through the exercises as will a Pilates instructor, but will stop to treat a joint restriction, if present, before having you proceed through the exercise. For instance, a simple joint restriction in the ankle from an old sprain is extremely common and should be treated before squatting and plie type exercises. This allows proper transmission of forces through the skeleton and into the ground instead of further damaging soft tissues and over-stretching ligaments. As a manual therapist we have been trained in multiple techniques to
- Regain mobility in stiff and tightened joint and soft tissue structures
- Get muscles that are atrophied, inhibited, or not firing in proper sequence due to pain and dysfunction, begin to function again
Why get private sessions?
A biomechanical and fitness evaluation are essential tools in moving you to better health.
This includes getting a history of current and past injuries and their treatments, your current goals, activity level assessment etc.
Then, assessment of range of motion, strength and quality of joint and soft tissue mobility is performed.
A treatment plan is formed to address your specific needs and goals as well as promote balance, comfort and ease of motion in the body.
You are unique, with your own history and what works for one body may not work for the next person; this is why a variety of movement techniques, joint and soft tissue techniques, energy medicine, relaxation methods need to be available to design what works best for you.
The Environment
Private one on one sessions on state of the art Pilate’s equipment, in a light filled, warm and quiet atmosphere, allows for relaxation, movement awareness and gentle strengthening. Whether you are an elite gymnast, dancer, old, young, never exercised, recovering from acute or chronic injuries or just need to find cross training methods to keep you as healthy as you are, we will assess where you are and where you want to go with your body and work together to achieve your goals in a safe and comfortable environment. The clinical reformer with fully movable foot bar allows for early rehabilitation for spine, upper or lower body injuries for a wide variety of ages and body size. The Pilates environment allows for unweighted assistive motion, mobilization as well as progressive strengthening when the body is ready
Why use a physical therapist to design your exercise or injury recovery program?
Designing an individualized program to rehabilitate injuries, improve strength, flexibility and efficient movement patterns requires knowledge of manual physical therapy as well as a variety of exercise and movement techniques.
Every body is unique and adapts to the environment in their own way. Inevitably, during and after injury and overuse, we quickly find adaptive compensations and motor patterning so we can continue with our daily routines; this is a survival mechanism and has probably been there since the beginning of time. These adaptations and compensations rarely become obvious until they cause pain or interfere significantly with our lifestyle.
For instance, a soft tissue injury such as a groin pull can heal in a healthy body in 6-8 weeks if treated. But what frequently happens is that the injured tissue begins to heal but is not yet strong enough to tolerate simple daily activities such as getting in or out of the car or running up stairs and consequently gets reinjured. This cycle can go on for a long time. Adaptive shortening occurs and more scar tissue is laid down. This begins to change the alignment of the pelvis in relation to the leg. The spine begins to compensate by side bending and rotating. Most clients that I have seen in my 20 years of practice as a physical therapist and movement trainer, have had many similar episodes. By the time they come to me there are multiple levels of adaptive patterning occurring. These need to be identified and properly treated.
As a manual physical therapist
I will take you through the exercises as will a Pilates instructor, but will stop to treat a joint restriction, if present, before having you proceed through the exercise. For instance, a simple joint restriction in the ankle from an old sprain is extremely common and should be treated before squatting and plie type exercises. This allows proper transmission of forces through the skeleton and into the ground instead of further damaging soft tissues and over-stretching ligaments. As a manual therapist we have been trained in multiple techniques to
- Regain mobility in stiff and tightened joint and soft tissue structures
- Get muscles that are atrophied, inhibited, or not firing in proper sequence due to pain and dysfunction, begin to function again
Why get private sessions?
A biomechanical and fitness evaluation are essential tools in moving you to better health.
This includes getting a history of current and past injuries and their treatments, your current goals, activity level assessment etc.
Then, assessment of range of motion, strength and quality of joint and soft tissue mobility is performed.
A treatment plan is formed to address your specific needs and goals as well as promote balance, comfort and ease of motion in the body.
You are unique, with your own history and what works for one body may not work for the next person; this is why a variety of movement techniques, joint and soft tissue techniques, energy medicine, relaxation methods need to be available to design what works best for you.
