The goal of rehabilitation is to help each patient progress through all four phases, but unfortunately this does not always happen. Many people are surprised to find out how their injury and the ensuing recovery period can lead to muscle weakness and loss of stamina. Objective measures of muscle weakness and wasting are commonly observed after injury and surgery within 4 to 6 weeks. Minimizing muscle loss and strength deficits are important rehabilitation goals set out in your physical therapy program.
After the healing process has begun, the next step is to start regaining movement and mobility. The main goal of the repair stage is to gently facilitate the body's return to pre-injury range-of-motion (ROM) levels, or as close as possible to pre-injury levels. Gentle range-of-motion and soft tissue exercises are important to start this stage, so that it does not extend too much or aggravate the injury. Flexibility exercises can also help prevent the long-term effects of decreased range of motion or function.
Small weights can be used during exercises if it is safe to do so, but more intensive strength training is not recommended at this time. Once your range of motion has been restored as best as possible, the next stage of physical rehabilitation is to start regaining strength. Resting during the recovery stage can cause muscle atrophy or wasting leading to weakness and loss of stamina. In the strength stage, the goal is to minimize these losses and return to pre-injury muscle strength and endurance levels, along with cardiovascular endurance.
With the use of weight machines, strength training can be performed safely and accurately, while reducing the risk of aggravating injury or risking new injuries. This is an incredible advantage and makes them excellent tools for rehabilitation. Return to Sport Advanced strengthening is performed to increase muscle strength, power and endurance so that the patient can try to return to his previous level of sports participation. It is important to maintain a full and painless active range of motion and total strength. Plyometric activities and sports specific loads are applied to the joint.
Plyometric exercises improve dynamic stability and proprioception and should be chosen individually depending on the specific requirements of the sport. Rehabilitation is defined as “a set of interventions designed to develop functioning and reduce disability in people with health conditions in interaction with their environment”. The most important thing to keep in mind about the rehabilitation process is that it depends on the type of strain you are going through. For example, if you are going through mental stress, your rehabilitation process will be different. But if you are going through physical exertion, then there are 4 phases of the rehabilitation process. When sports injuries prevent participation for an extended period of time in training and playing time, it is necessary to preserve cardiovascular endurance.
Exercises may be prescribed, such as riding a stationary bike, exercising in the pool or gentle exercise. As you become increasingly independent during phase three of cardiac rehabilitation, your physical therapist can help you adapt an exercise program, including flexibility, strength, and aerobic exercise. Once significant healing has occurred, you may be discharged to begin phase two of cardiac rehabilitation. Another important aspect of phase two of cardiac rehabilitation is education about proper exercise procedures and how to self-monitor your heart rate and stress levels during exercise. By working closely with your healthcare provider and rehabilitation team, and by fully participating in all four phases of cardiac rehabilitation, you can increase your chances of returning to optimal health quickly and safely. Here, joint strength and endurance exercises are progressed and more dynamic joint stabilization exercises are introduced.
Your injury and rehabilitation process will take much longer without efficient care after an established set of processes and exercises. Exercises include eccentric contractions, proprioception and neuromuscular re-education, and multi-joint and multiplanar resistance exercises. Cardiac rehabilitation refers to a structured exercise and education program designed to help you return to optimal fitness and function after an event such as a heart attack. This leads to Phase 5 of the rehabilitation process, which gradually returns the athlete to full activity.
Due to the physical demands of high-level sports, this phase plays an important role in a successful sports injury rehabilitation program. While the specific rehabilitation exercises and methods you need will depend on the type and severity of your injury, the rehabilitation process itself can be divided into four basic stages. Physical therapists work as members of the cardiac rehabilitation team, helping to assess heart function, assess impairments that may limit your mobility, and prescribe progressive exercise and physical activity to help you return to your normal lifestyle after a cardiac episode. The first phase occurs in the hospital after your cardiac episode, and the other three phases occur in a cardiac rehabilitation center or at home, once you have left the hospital.
This injury rehabilitation phase may include restoring coordination and balance, improving speed, agility and sport-specific skills, moving from simple to complex. The keys to maximizing recovery are performing exercises that minimize aggravations, maintain good shape and proper technique, and strengthen local, regional and central muscle groups.
