Therapeutic Exercise vs Exercise
The modern approach to successful rehabilitation.
Physiotherapy and rehabilitation have changed in recent years. Movement and ergonomic correction are now essential to treatment planning. Therapeutic exercise plays a major role in helping therapists achieve rapid, complete rehabilitation without reinjury.
Therapeutic exercise follows principles that make it far more specialised and targeted than the strengthening exercises someone might do on their own or with a fitness professional.
Key Differences Between Therapeutic Exercise and General Exercise
- Exercise and individualisation – Strength training draws on a wide range of exercises, both familiar and less well known, as well as newer techniques such as TRX, the Bosu ball and Pilates. Therapeutic exercise uses these same exercises and techniques, adapting them to give each patient the greatest benefit for their musculoskeletal or neurological condition.
- Exercise and dosage – Conventional exercise routines, such as those used in a gym, follow general rules on how much exercise to do to develop muscles and strengthen a muscle group. Therapeutic exercise sets the amount according to what each person needs and can tolerate. This helps avoid reinjury or excessive strain on an anatomical structure that is not yet ready for the load of, for example, a full set of 10 repetitions.
- Exercise and biomechanics – Conventional exercises usually follow a specific technique that has been studied and shown to be correct. In therapeutic exercise, we adapt the angles, movement paths or positions to the biomechanics of each patient’s injury or condition. The goal is to perform the exercise in the established way taught in physical education. Therapeutic exercise provides a safe progression towards that goal.
- Exercise and the supervising therapist – Exercise should generally be planned and supervised by a qualified fitness professional. Therapeutic exercise should be supervised by the physiotherapist responsible for designing and delivering the overall rehabilitation plan. Once rehabilitation is complete, the physiotherapist and fitness professional work together on further exercise and strengthening.
Therapeutic Exercise at TherapyLab
Therapeutic exercise is fundamental to rehabilitation at TherapyLab. We are proud to be among the first clinics to make it an integral part of physiotherapy, with fully equipped, dedicated exercise areas and modern techniques including Clinical Pilates, Pilates Reformer and TRX suspension training. Our therapists attend specialist seminars to deliver the right techniques at the right dosage, make appropriate biomechanical adjustments and ensure each exercise is performed exactly as required.