Exercising may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but you have to admit it has its benefits. But would you believe that there’s a type of exercise that does more than make your body stronger and healthier?
You might have heard of corrective exercise treatments. They’re designed to correct any physical dysfunctions in your body and train your muscles to move properly to prevent injuries. If you want to know more about how it can benefit your physical health, read more below.
What is corrective exercise?
Corrective exercise is a type of holistic treatment that aims to provide pain relief, improve mobility, increase flexibility, speed up recovery, and prevent injury.
It focuses on correcting musculoskeletal issues in your body through gentle movements. It can also be used to pinpoint the cause of muscle or joint imbalances that can lead to mobility, balance, and posture issues. Depending on your symptoms, your program can also be accompanied by acupuncture, massage, or cupping treatments to achieve your health goals.
Since muscle imbalances can be caused by overexertion, poor posture, repetitive motions, or aging, almost anyone can benefit from corrective exercise.
What does corrective exercise treat?
Corrective exercise is usually used to treat a number of muscle and joint imbalances. But it’s also shown to improve the symptoms of a few diseases, such as:
- Lower back pain
- Tennis elbow
- Disc imbalances
- Sciatica
- Knee pain
- Scoliosis
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Osteoarthritis
- Plantar fasciitis
- Pelvic floor disorder
A study shows that long-term treatment can be effective in improving the functional balance and postural stability of elderly hyperkyphotic patients. But if your muscle imbalances are caused by work-related stress, another study shows that regular corrective exercise can reduce work-related muscular disorders and improve your overall quality of life.
Is corrective exercise the same as physical therapy?
While both treatments aim to improve your mobility and reduce muscle and joint pain, they’re two different treatment programs.
Physical therapy is good for treating medical diagnoses, specific injuries, or physical traumas. It can also be used as an alternative to orthopedic surgery for teaching patients how to manage their symptoms with the aid of a licensed physical therapist.
While corrective exercise may not treat medical conditions, it can be used for correcting muscle and joint dysfunctions caused by musculoskeletal diseases, habitual patterns, or injuries. Corrective exercise can also only be performed by a Corrective Exercise Specialist, so make sure you go to a reputable clinic to ensure you get the proper treatment.
What does corrective exercise consist of?
Each corrective exercise treatment will be different for each person since your practitioner will cater your sessions according to your health history and symptoms. Your practitioner will first determine the sources of your dysfunctions before formulating an exercise routine to improve your condition.
These often include stretching, strengthening, flexibility, and mobility exercises, such as:
- Lunging with knee pulls
- Calf stretches
- Hip flexor stretches
- Lying rotations
- Back steps with arm rotations
The exercises are often simple enough that you can perform them at home if your practitioner recommends it. You may also use equipment like foam rollers and tennis balls to aid the movements.
Who needs corrective exercise?
Corrective exercise is often recommended for anyone suffering from pain or injuries. You could also benefit from the treatment if you want to correct bad posture, improve balance, or enhance flexibility since these will prevent injuries – especially if you play sports or have an active lifestyle.
You can also do corrective exercise if you do repetitive motions regularly since it helps stretch tight muscles, loosen stiff joints, and relieve pain. But before you book your treatment, make sure to talk to your doctor first about whether corrective exercise is suitable for treating your symptoms.
How often should you do corrective exercises?
How often you need to perform corrective exercises will depend on your health goals and symptoms. Make sure to talk to your practitioner so you’ll know what to expect from your program.
However, consistent practice is the key to seeing results. If your practitioner recommends inhibitory exercises for your program, you’ll usually need to do them 2-3 times a week. If you’re focusing on activation exercises, you’ll need to perform them 3-5 times per week. While integrative exercises are recommended to be done 5-7 times a week.
Ready to book a corrective exercise treatment?
If you’re looking for a reputable clinic that offers corrective exercise treatments, you can book your sessions at Lycoming Orthopedic & Sports Acupuncture. They ensure your treatment plan is customized according to your symptoms to help you achieve your health goals. They also do acupuncture, dry needling, cupping, and electrostimulation services to assist your body in getting back into tip-top shape. If you have questions or inquiries, feel free to reach out to them and book your treatment now.
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