Functional Exercise Training, also known as Functional Fitness

How Does Functional Training Work

Consider your everyday movements, whether it's opening your car door while balancing groceries or twisting and reaching to store items. As individuals age, they become more vulnerable to injury during these seemingly simple tasks due to accumulated small injuries, repetitive strain, and natural wear and tear on joints and muscles. By tailoring a functional strength training program to align with your specific lifestyle and daily activities, you can enhance strength where it's most needed, leading to improved quality of life both now and in the future.

A functional fitness training regimen typically isn't exhaustive or frustrating, unlike some workouts. Instead, it elevates mood and energy levels by releasing endorphins without completely depleting your strength. This approach focuses on multi-joint movements, such as the coordinated action of knees and hips during walking or the collaboration between spine and shoulders during reaching motions. It's not about building bulky muscles and flaunting them; rather, an effective functional gym training program aims to strengthen muscles in a way that optimally supports your daily life.

Advantages of Functional Fitness Training

Enhanced Strength: Strength extends beyond mere muscle size or lifting capacity. Functional strength is about efficiently carrying out everyday tasks like grocery shopping, opening doors, or lifting a child with ease. Functional exercises specifically target these activities to provide the strength necessary for seamless performance. For individuals undergoing physical therapy rehabilitation, the focus is on restoring previous capabilities and potentially surpassing them.

Improved Balance: Functional exercises prioritize the body's coordinated movement patterns, promoting unity throughout the body. This enhanced coordination plays a crucial role in fostering better balance and heightened body awareness. Understanding how different body parts function together enables improved movement tracking and core strength development, ultimately leading to greater balance.

Increased Range of Motion and Flexibility: While not expecting gymnastic feats, being able to reach further or lift legs higher can greatly benefit daily life. Enhanced range of motion and flexibility enable individuals to perform tasks more effortlessly and with reduced risk of injury, contributing to overall well-being.

Reduced Injury Risk: Effortlessly reaching high shelves or stepping over obstacles allows for seamless navigation through daily activities. However, limitations in reaching or lifting capabilities can predispose individuals to injuries, including potentially hazardous falls. A focused approach to movement in the gym can make a significant difference in life quality and injury prevention, ensuring enjoyment of daily activities.

Functional Fitness and Physiotherapy

The objective of all functional training is to center on daily living and functional activities. For individuals undergoing physical therapy, the focus often revolves around reclaiming lost function. Whether function was lost suddenly or gradually, due to injury or wear and tear, the crucial aspect is not resigning to those limitations as permanent. At Physical Therapists NYC, we believe in your potential for improvement, and we are committed to providing a customized functional training exercise program tailored to your needs.

We will conduct a comprehensive assessment of your current situation and engage in discussions regarding your goals, typical activities, and aspirations. Based on this assessment, a personalized program will be devised to incorporate exercises aimed at enhancing your strength, flexibility, and balance. Our well-equipped gym offers all the necessary equipment for your exercises, and you may also receive additional exercises to perform regularly at home, further supporting your progress.

Over time, physical therapy patients often observe not only improvements in their recovery but also find that their daily activities become easier and occasionally even enjoyable.

Alleviate joint pressure, diminish inflammation, and enhance nerve function through Spinal Manipulation Therapy.

If your physical therapy regimen includes spinal and joint manipulation, you might wonder why you aren't referred to a chiropractor. While our clinic offers access to chiropractors on-site (is this true?), it's not mandatory if your prescription is specifically for physical therapy manipulations rather than chiropractic adjustments. There exists a distinction between the two, which we'll elucidate shortly.

First, let's delve into what spinal and joint manipulation therapy entails within the context of a physical therapy treatment plan. These hands-on therapeutic techniques are utilized to address back pain, neck pain, and various musculoskeletal issues throughout the body. Rest assured, spinal manipulation conducted by a trained physical therapist is both effective and safe.

Physical Therapy Spinal Manipulation & Joint Manipulation

The spine serves as a crucial pathway, akin to a superhighway, facilitating the transmission of signals from the spinal cord to different parts of the body. Nerves extend outward from the spine to various regions, allowing for communication between the body and the brain. When the spine is in optimal condition, this communication pathway functions smoothly, ensuring efficient operation of bodily processes.

Determining the appropriateness of joint manipulation and/or spinal manipulation for a specific patient involves a thorough assessment by therapists. They carefully screen patients, taking into consideration multiple factors such as the nature of the pain and the affected region. Since each segment of the spine has distinct characteristics in terms of responsiveness to manipulative techniques, therapists tailor their approach accordingly.

While the spine is typically categorized into five main sections—cervical, thoracic, and lumbar—the focus of physical therapy spinal manipulation often revolves around these areas. However, peripheral regions beyond the spine may also benefit from joint manipulation. These peripheral areas, though not directly part of the spinal column, play a significant role in overall musculoskeletal function and may contribute to or be affected by spinal issues. Thus, therapists consider a holistic approach to treatment, addressing both spinal and peripheral areas as needed to optimize patient outcomes.

Cervical spine: Comprising the first seven vertebrae starting from the base of the skull, the cervical spine is pivotal in neck function. Impairments in this area can manifest as neck pain, stiffness, headaches, or numbness, with potential extension of symptoms down the arm and into the hands.

Thoracic spine: Serving as the intermediary segment between the cervical and lumbar regions, the thoracic spine boasts twelve vertebrae and is often implicated in mid-back discomfort. Therapists frequently address issues in this area to alleviate mid-back pain, as well as to address limited shoulder motion, rib discomfort, upper back problems, and even issues extending into the lower back.

Lumbar spine: Located in the lower back, the lumbar spine encompasses five vertebrae that transition into the sacrum and coccyx. Manipulation of the lumbar spine is commonly employed to alleviate lower back pain, a prevalent global issue. It can also aid in addressing concerns related to walking discomfort, limitations in lifting, and overall movement restrictions.

Hip joint manipulation: Among the peripheral manipulations performed by physical therapists, hip joint manipulation is frequent. This technique, akin to spinal manipulation, targets the hip region directly. Given the common occurrence of hip injuries and pain, particularly among athletes, older adults, and individuals who have experienced falls, hip joint manipulation aims to restore proper alignment and functionality. Subsequent manual therapy and exercise regimens further contribute to returning patients to normal function, often resulting in reduced or alleviated pain symptoms.

Elbow joint manipulation: Another prevalent peripheral manipulation involves the elbow joint, often employed in cases of tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow. While these conditions are commonly associated with athletes, they can affect individuals from various backgrounds who strain or stress the muscles and joints in this area. Joint manipulation serves to alleviate tightness and pain, allowing for the implementation of strengthening exercises aimed at promoting recovery and improved function.