28. September 2021

physiotherapist advice on strengthening exercises

To get a stronger and healthier body, one must invest time in muscle development and shaping the body.

With intense training to achieve this, it can bring stress, strain, and injury to the muscles you’re trying to improve.

Whether a bodybuilder or athlete, strength is necessary, and injury is seemingly inevitable.

Yet, with physiotherapy treatment and recommended strength exercises, you can monitor and improve your muscle development; whilst maintaining muscle mass and strength.

Contrary to belief, physiotherapy treatment is not just for injury and rehabilitation.

Physiotherapists are often asked about the best types of strength exercises to do in order to maintain their muscle strength and improve muscle development.

In this article, we will:

Provide information for bodybuilders and athletes on diagnosis and provide an appropriate programme of strength exercises
Display the benefits of strength exercises and suitable physiotherapy treatment programs
Detail how bodybuilders and athletes can help to maintain muscle strength, improve muscle development and reduce injury

Do I need physiotherapy treatment and strength exercises?

As an elite sportsperson, looking after your body is key. If your body doesn’t function optimally, all your hard work will be in vain.

Regardless of fitness levels, strength is needed to maintain healthy bones, joints, and muscle tissue.

Our physiotherapists provide advice on strength exercises to help you maintain muscle mass, prevent injury or for pain management and recovery from injuries sustained.

Strength exercises are designed to increase the durability of a designated or specific group of muscles. Overloading these muscles with specific strength exercises forces them to the point of fatigue.

This may seem counterproductive, but it actually encourages better growth and muscle development. Increasing muscle size, power and endurance, therefore reducing the probability of injury.

Through careful assessment, our physiotherapists at CK Physio will be able to diagnose and provide appropriate strength exercises for you.

With a tailored program to ensure best results alongside attaining individual goals of muscle development, improving performance, or enhancing aerobic capacity.

What are the benefits of strength exercises?

There are a wealth of benefits when completing strength exercises within your physiotherapy treatment.

Benefits of strength exercises:

Improved muscle strength
Increased joint stability
Greater range of motion
Reduced risk of injury
Better muscle memory and function
Less energy expenditure

Another purpose and benefit of strength exercises are to reduce pain.

Each exercise suggested by your physiotherapist should be performed in the correct form, controlled and without pain.

The athletic industry was hit hard during COVID-19. As a result, many were unable to train properly. So, venturing back into the gym or beginning training regimes again has proved difficult for some.

If you’re muscle, fitness or agility level has declined, physiotherapy treatment can aid in building your back up.

With the benefits stated above, strength exercises are also used for:

After periods of immobility
Movement dysfunction
Pre or post-surgery
Post-injury

There’s no need to worry or suffer in silence. CK Physio has the right expertise and physiotherapy treatment to get you back to being you, and doing what you do.

Why do I need a physiotherapy treatment program?

The best thing about a physiotherapy treatment program is that they’re tailor-made for your individual needs. Physiotherapy treatment combined with strength exercises means that they’re more effective than general strengthening exercises alone.

Your program will have a variety of strength exercises that target specific groups or individual muscles. Helping you improve muscle fitness and reduce the risk of injury while increasing your flexibility.

Some strength exercises include the use of:

Gravity - influences muscle contraction by trying to pull the body (body part) towards the floor
Resistance - causes the muscle to contract against an external resistance
Weight - provides stress to the muscles causing them to adapt and become stronger and bones strengthen under the impact of the weight.

Strength exercises don't have to be time-consuming or difficult.

But to reap the benefits, you need to be warmed up and include it as part of your routine rather than separate. Some common strengthening methods include squats, lunges, pushups, and also the use of yoga or pilates.

How to use strength exercises to remain fit and healthy

In an athletic setting, the demands on your body can be gruelling.

Your body needs to continually produce new cells for growth and repair. In order to do that effectively, your body needs the proper amount of rest, a healthy diet, the right vitamins and correct exercise.

Not only are strength exercises a good way to stay healthy and work on strengthening your muscles, bones, and help you maintain a healthy weight.

They also help in preventing diseases including diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, heart disease and more.

Participating in physiotherapy treatment strength exercises also provides the added benefits of increased energy levels, improved moods, and better self-esteem among others.

Integrated as part of your regular training regime, strength exercises will help motivate you to be the best version of yourself; strong, healthy, and full of energy.