Therapeutic Exercise Ottawa

Exercise programs are aimed at improving health, so you can feel better than you did beforehand. Therapeutic exercise is similar in this way; however, it also implements targeted activities that are aimed at relieving pain and restoring you to your optimum level of physical function. There are a wide variety of therapeutic exercises and each one has a unique purpose.

It's easy to think of exercise as something we do with our muscles, but exercise can also help our body's other systems. Area-specific exercises may target breathing and circulation to help speed healing, improve blood flow, or lower stress on the body.

Balance & Coordination Exercises

Every time you stand or sit, bones and muscles work in conjunction with one another to help you remain upright. As an athlete trying to perform at a high level, running and catching a pass, cutting hard to fake a defender, or working on your agility requires high levels of balance under stress. Every time you stand, walk, sit, brush your teeth, cook a meal, or take care of your daily activities, you are testing your coordination between the muscular and skeletal systems in your body. That is why balance and coordination exercises are so important, especially after an injury or illness, for spinal pain, neck pain, optimal mobility, etc.

Muscle Performance Exercises

Increasing power, endurance, and muscle strength are vital to good balance and stability, as well as bone and joint health. Resistance and endurance exercises are designed to increase muscle strength without injury.

Range of Motion Exercises

These flexibility exercises are aimed at increasing the range of motion in your joints and soft tissues. This may be done through active, passive, or assisted stretching activities designed to help your joints move better, without pain and mobility issues.

Posture Exercises

Hours spent at desks or bending over keyboards, poor muscle tone, or simply poor posture habits can all lead to pain or injury. What you may not realize is that posture has a direct impact on muscle strength, balance, and risk of injury. Strength and movement exercises are aimed at helping your body, not just when you exercise, but also in your daily life activities to alleviate aches and pains.

Relaxation Exercises

Relaxation is part of therapeutic exercise? You bet! While it is important to work the muscles, joints, and soft tissues in the body, it is also important to help them relax and recover. Being intentional about using muscles appropriately, then having the control to relax them when it is appropriate is all part of your muscle's performance.