Orthopedic Exercise Training for Rehabilitation and Return to Work

Orthopedic Exercise Training for Return to Work Activities Post-Injury

An orthopedic exercise training program provides people who have experienced a chronic health or medical condition (including illness, injury, disease) with an opportunity to work with a personal trainer, health coach, or kinesiologist who will understand and assess your body as an integrated unit. This specialist is a person who is qualified to serve clients with chronic orthopedic conditions or those returning to work or other activities post-injury. They should have knowledge about functional anatomy, movement assessments, and step-by-step program design techniques. Through their knowledge of human movement and communication strategies, they will support and compliment a treatment or care plan you may have with medical or healthcare professionals (such as general practice physicians, medical and naturopathic doctors, specialists, chiropractors, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and others).

Introduction and Foundational Concepts

If you are a person with orthopedic concerns, your personal trainer needs to be committed to staying within their scope of practice and working in collaboration with your medical and healthcare providers.

Your personal trainer needs to have an understanding of movement fundamentals, including principles of kinesiology (mechanics of body movements), biomechanics (mechanical laws of body movement or structures), and the structure and function of joints and muscles. They need to be familiar with the adverse effects of immobilization on joint structures and the changes in the muscular system associated with aging and inactivity.

Ideally, the philosophy held by your trainer is that anatomy is best viewed from a functional, integrative perspective. They should be concerned with how these structures work together to produce optimal movement and how malalignment in one area can affect the alignment of other structures.

Assessments

During the initial sessions with your personal trainer, they should conduct assessments (which may be for posture, joint range of motion, and movement). During these assessments, your trainer should support you with considerations about your pain and the psychological impact it has on your life. Your trainer should do their best to accurately observe your posture and movement during assessments and to consider the best order in which to conduct assessments.

Posture and Gait

When assessing posture and gait (manner of walking and sequence of foot movements), your trainer should observe for normal alignment and misalignment of the major joints of the body and what may cause these malalignments. They should be able to recognize the difference between normal and atypical gait patterns.

Orthopedic Exercise and Program Design

There is a relationship between what is observed during your assessments and the functional purpose of your anatomy. The understanding of this relationship should guide your trainer as they follow the steps for success in designing an orthopedic exercise program with you. A safe and effective program will be designed by using principles from an Integrated Fitness Training (IFT) model embraced by a well-recognized and accredited organization, such as the American Council on Exercise.

Lower Body, Spinal Rotation, and Upper Body

Your trainer shoulder consider range-of-motion assessments, movement assessments, and program design for orthopedic injuries or conditions. Injuries or conditions may impact the lower body (feet, ankles, knees, hips), spinal rotation (lumbar, thoracic, and cervical spine), and upper body (back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, neck, elbows, wrists, hands). Various movement solutions, including stretching, myofascial release, and exercise progressions and regressions should be part of this program.

Conclusion

An orthopedic exercise training program integrates functional anatomy, assessments, client-centered care, and exercise program design. A program or service like this will help you to be successful in the following areas:

1. Observing and identifying movement inefficiencies and patterns that contribute to pain or dysfunction.

2. Identifying your goals and the exercises for the greatest impact.

3. Planning and prioritizing an exercise program designed for your goals.

4. Selecting and implementing the order or sequence for pain free exercises.

5. Collaborating with a trainer on realistic exercises (for anytime, anywhere).

6. Improving your stability, mobility, and strength for movement.

7. Achieving your functional goals for participating in occupational activities of daily living and staying in or returning to career, employment, and work activities.