Orthopedic Exercise Training for Rehabilitation and Return to Work

Orthopedic Exercise Training for Return to Work Activities Post-Injury

An orthopedic exercise training program offers a unique opportunity for individuals recovering from chronic health conditions or injuries to work with specialized trainers. These experts understand the body as an integrated unit and are equipped to support your journey back to work and daily activities. They possess knowledge of functional anatomy, movement assessments, and step-by-step program design techniques. Through their expertise in human movement and communication strategies, they complement the treatment plans provided by medical and healthcare professionals.

Introduction and Foundational Concepts

If you have orthopedic concerns, your personal trainer must stay within their scope of practice and collaborate with your medical and healthcare providers.

Personal trainers need to understand 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. Familiarity with the adverse effects of immobilization on joint structures and the changes in the muscular system associated with aging and inactivity is also crucial.

Ideally, your trainer views anatomy from a functional, integrative perspective. They should focus on 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, your personal trainer will conduct various assessments, such as posture and joint range of motion. They will consider your pain and its psychological impact, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation. Accurate observation of your posture and movement is essential, and your trainer should carefully plan the order of these assessments.

Posture and Gait

When assessing posture and gait, your trainer will observe the alignment of major joints and identify any misalignments. They should recognize the difference between normal and atypical gait patterns.

Orthopedic Exercise and Program Design

The relationship between assessment observations and functional anatomy guides your trainer in designing an orthopedic exercise program. A safe and effective program will follow principles from Integrated Fitness Training (IFT) or Functional Integrated Training (FIT) models, endorsed by reputable organizations like the American Council on Exercise or the British Columbia Personal Training Institute.

Lower Body, Spinal Rotation, and Upper Body

Your trainer will consider range-of-motion assessments, movement assessments, and program design for orthopedic injuries or conditions. These 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). The program should include various movement solutions, such as stretching, myofascial release, and exercise progressions and regressions.

Conclusion

An orthopedic exercise training program integrates functional anatomy, assessments, client-centered care, and exercise program design. This approach helps you achieve the following:

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.

   
   

Feel free to reach out and let us know if you need further information or have any specific questions about resources for orthopedic exercise and physical rehabilitation for returning to work!