Exercsie Rehabilitation
Why do we need to do exercises?
Exercise, such as walking or more specific exercises, such as weight training, is beneficial no matter who you are. We can all take away something positive from exercise: improved mood, health, etc. The list goes on. Whether you are pain-free or not, exercises improve skeletal muscle mass. Maintaining or improving your skeletal muscle mass is important to prevent injuries, especially as we age.
However, when we are injured, we require a more specific set of exercises to improve our pain and increase our ability to run and walk. As a result of injury, we can no longer do the activities we used to do, e.g. running, as they require a significant amount of energy from certain muscle groups. During excessive exercise, our body starts to get injured if we use the same muscle too often, placing strain on the muscle/tendon/ligaments, causing them to weaken.
What conditions are exercises helpful for?
Exercises are beneficial for many conditions including flat feet, plantar fasciitis, and Achilles tendinopathy just to name a few. These conditions are what we call overuse conditions which is caused by a gradual overuse of the muscle/tendons over time. By rebuilding the strength in the damaged tissue over a period of time, the goal of decreasing pain and increasing your activity levels once again.
What type of exercises will be given to me?
The exercises prescribed will depend on the problem. Access to a gym will be beneficial in most cases as the equipment and weights help target your problem better than the equipment and facilities you have at home. Exercises may include calf raises with weight, balance specific exercises, Hopping, and resistance band work just to name a few.
How do you know what exercises to provide?
During your Foot and Ankle pain assessment you will undergo a series of tests to assess the area you are having problems with. We perform a series of strength and flexibility tests, and from this information, we formulate an exercise program. The information we gather from your assessment will then provide you with an exercise program, which we will then retest you at future appointments.
How will the exercises be provided to me?
After finding out what exercises you require to improve your pain and ability to do the activities you enjoy again. We use exercise program software which gives you detailed information and videos to make your journey to pain-free that much easier. Orthotics are often used in combination with exercises to releive pressure over the painful area as you begin to build up strength.