Exercises
Exercises For Strength, Flexibility, Alignment, Posture, Balance & Return to Function
- Core Stability Strengthening Exercises – Research shows core stability exercises are an important foundation of a healthy body. Core muscles stabilize our actions and strengthening these muscles can often result decreased pain and increase in function. The “core” include of any muscles that provide the foundation for the joints and the resultant movement to occur, such as the transverses abdominus and multifidus muscles. Core stabilization work begins with the ability to isolate the muscles and then is progressed to include contraction of the muscles while performing a wide range of tasks – everything from standing to sport specific tasks. Therapy balls, rocker boards, pulleys, weight training may be used as an aid in progressing the overload on the trunk muscles. Everyone can benefit for core stabilization exercises.
- Postural Assessment & Education – Unless you have been told by family or close friends, many people are unaware of their posture. Your posture is the window to the health of your spine. Poor posture often leads to stiffness, decreased mobility, and even chronic problems. With rolled shoulders, excessive curvature of your spine, the center of balance of the body can be shifted several inches forward. This leads to extra strain on the muscles of the neck and back which can then lead to headache, shoulder, neck and back pain. Breathing and digestive problems can also result from chronic poor posture. Consequently, the nervous system, which controls every cell in your body, has a hard time operating at an optimal level. You will not feel at your best because you tire more easily at the end of the day. Postural assessment and education involves strengthening, stretching and balancing muscle deficiencies. As well, it will assist you in becoming more aware of optimal posture during work, rest and play.
- Exercise Prescription – Exercise prescription refers to the specific plan of therapeutic exercises, recreational or sport-related activities that is aimed at your achieving your goal, whether it is pain reduction, increasing flexibility or improving muscle strength and coordination. The goal of exercise prescription is to integrate your specific needs with your personal, work or recreational requirements. Exercise helps to improve self-confidence and self-esteem, as well as improve cardiovascular and assist with coping with mental and physical stresses that we face in our daily lives. We will discuss activities that are best for your purposes of health or fitness improvement.