Discover the New Dimensions of Flexibility with Physiotherapy
Can a physiotherapist help in enhancing your flexibility?
Indeed, in many expert ways. Physiotherapy is an advanced science that utilizes this concept for restoration, recovery, and to improve athletic performance.
But first of all, you must understand the terminology and meaning of flexibility, stability, and mobility.
What is flexibility?
Flexibility is the range of motion of each joint or a set of joints and the muscles associated with these joints.
On the other hand, stability refers to the ability to control motion, whereas mobility is the range of motion around a single joint.
In short, it is everything about all-around movement.
The biggest benefit of better flexibility we reduce the risk of injuries toward joints. If you already have an injury, increasing your flexibility will speed up recovery around the injured area.
What reduces flexibility
Muscles develop tightness when you have weakness around a joint. It could be due to overuse or heavy impact exercises inflicting micro-trauma inflicted on the muscles.
Arthritis and neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis affecting the nerve routes also lead to abnormal muscle tone.
Why is flexibility essential?
Flexible muscles and joints with high ROM are beneficial to everyone in a number of ways.
For sportspersons, it augments athletic performance in the games they play, such as soccer, track events, golf, tennis or boxing, etc.
It also prevents the occurrence of sports injuries. If you are active in a sport, add flexibility training to your fitness program with a physiotherapist.
Stiffness increases the risk of strain. Physical therapists directly incite the tissues, tendons, and ligaments around a joint to relax the tight muscles.
For those who lead a sedentary lifestyle, maybe due to the nature of their profession or hobbies, flexibility training loosens up tight muscles and improves the quality of life.
Being continuously stationary makes your joints and muscles stiff and limited in movement. This reduces the overall range of motion and can make the regular activity more strenuous.
For those recovering from trauma or injury working on the flexibility helps to speed up restoration and provides protection from future mishappenings.
Overall wellness and longevity of bone and joint health demands, an optimal range of motion and flexibility. Whether or not you are undergoing any treatment, it is best adopted as a lifestyle change.
Physical therapy can provide the expert and effective regime you need. It gives a new dimension to your health in much more advanced ways than routine coaching.
Here are three ways physio can help:
Stretching
Stretching is a powerful way to increase the range of motion. The advantage of doing them with a physical therapist is tremendous.
At Goodwill Physiotherapy and Massage, we design dynamic stretches based on your specific joints and muscles. You get skilled guidance on the repetitions, the extent, and timing of each stretch.
Applying the wrong combination of stretches on your own can do more harm than good and trigger your joints.
So, it is better to do them under guidance in the beginning. When the right muscle is stretched in a certain way, it enhances blood flow to the area and pumps up the tissues with vital oxygen. The result?
Strengthening, and an increased range of motion. Not only that, the stiffness disappears, the joints and tissues relax, pain is relieved and you feel light.
Exercises to Increase ROM
Physical therapists assess the existing condition of your joints and formulate an exercise regime for you. These are specific exercises that increase the range of motion.
ROM is defined as how far one is able to move a joint in all possible directions.
Consistently performing these exercises builds strength and can move a joint in all different directions.
If you have had an injury in the past, be careful and follow your therapist’s advice. Making a tiny wrong move can take you back to square one.
Massage
Therapeutic Massage can add a new dimension to flexibility. It helps in many situations, in multiple ways.
For tight muscles, inflammation, and stress, for example. Massage by a physical therapist is a different ball game, as he works in alignment with your joints & muscle growth.
Massage augments the process by increasing the muscle temperature, tissue elasticity, breaking down frictions, removing toxins, reducing swelling, and reducing pain.
It can improve performance and strengthen muscular condition.
By working on specific exercises that increase flexibility and build strength, you should be able to increase your range of motion.
Post Natal Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
The group of muscles that support the pelvis and is responsible for bowel & sexual function, as well as bladder control, is your pelvic floor. Pregnancy & childbirth makes it weak and decentralised. It drops down about 2-3 cms.
The common issues handled by post-natal physiotherapy is to bring it back to its original position and enhance the muscular strength and tone. It includes strengthening exercises and electrical stimulation.
Post-Natal Abdominal Tone and Bulging Belly
What are Abs?
Your abs or the abdominal muscles are all subjected to substantial biomechanical changes and become stretched to the extreme of their elastic limit towards the end of pregnancy.
These set of muscles called the rectus abdominis, transversus abdominis and the internal and external oblique muscles play the following role:
- Support the trunk and keep the body stable and balanced
- Keep organs in the correct position
- Safeguard the spine from injury
Pregnancy shifts in the centre of gravity also reduces the mechanical ability of contraction. This results in a bulging belly. In the lower abs it causes a condition called Diastasis Recti. Although it doesn’t cause any pain in the abdominal area, it generates musculoskeletal issues.
Postnatal physiotherapy greatly helps with abs problems and abdominal separation. It provides the correct stabilization of the area with abdomen exercises that tone up and also prevent future occurrences.
Postpartum Back Pain
It’s vital to care for your back to help discourage backache and trauma. While looking after a newborn, you are straining it considerably with all the bending and lifting.
The main cause of back pain In the postpartum phase is:
- postural changes during pregnancy,
- heightened ligamentous laxity,
- hormonal effects
- reduced abs function
Physiotherapy helps resolve all these issues with back exercises, can help treat low back pain symptoms effectively with many traditional low back exercises, modal applications and modifications in movements and posture.
-Using the right kind of chair
-Nursing the baby with the right posture
-Deterring from lifting weighty objects
Back and spinal problems start in pregnancy and continue in the postpartum phase to become chronic if not handled at the right time.
Post Natal Neck and Shoulders Stress
The upper back attains a kind of rounded shape when you are carrying a child. A lot of weight is centred along the belly, and the breasts increase in size and weight too. This affects posture and puts strain on the shoulder and neck muscles.
Delivering the baby does not necessarily restore posture but becomes faulty due to habit. Post natal PT is aimed at reducing pain, restoring balance, advice on modifying routine activities and strengthening the right muscles.
Your health is important
Our Post- natal (and also prenatal) programs at Goodwill Physiotherapy & Massage include customized expert massages and assisted exercises by trained therapists. Every new mother must give herself this gift for the one time that she delivers a child.