How to Structure an Exercise Rehab Session - Physio Network

When creating an exercise rehabilitation program, the variable that is ... by practitioners is the exercise, delivering new rehab exercises ... ResearchReviewsMasterclassHowtoStructureanExerciseRehabSession6minread.Postedin ExercisePrescriptionWrittenbyJustinRichardsonOneofmybiggestbugbearsintherehabilitationindustryisthatpatientswhogetgivenarehabprogramtendtobegivenashoppinglistofexerciseswithminimalthoughtprocessbehindtheimplementationoftheprescribedprogram.Somethingwhichdoesn’thelpthesituationisthattheseprogramstendtobeeitherscribbledontoapieceofpaperinthelast5minutesofaconsultation(howthehellareyouasapractitionersupposedtodesignaneffectiveprograminthattime),orinthedigitalageof2021thesoftwareplatformsthatpracticesgravitatetowardsforexerciseprogramsareoftenincrediblypoorlydesigned.Havingastructuretowardshowyoubuildyoursessionsisnotonlyimportantfromapatientoutcomesperspective,butalsofromasystemisationofdevelopmentpointofview.IusedtospendhourswritingprogramsformyclientsbecauseIhadabsolutelynosystemthatdirectedmetowardsfunnellingspecificcomponentsintoparticularareas!Inordertounderstandhowyoucanbeststructureyoursessionit’simportanttoconsiderthe8acutevariablesofresistancetrainingthatyoucanmanipulateinyourprograms.Theseare:TheexerciseThesetsTherepsTheprescribedresistanceTheorderofexercisesThespeedoftheexerciseTherestperiodsbetweenrepsandsetsTheperiodisationacrossdifferentweeksWhencreatinganexerciserehabilitationprogram,thevariablethatismostmanipulatedbypractitionersistheexercise,deliveringnewrehabexercisesduringeachappointmenthasalmostbecomeariteofpassageinordertokeepathletesinterestedintheprocess.Therestofthisblogwillbefocusedonandexpandingonpointnumber5!Beingabletocategoriseourexercisesintoparticular‘blocks’thathaveaspecificfocus/goalwillmakesurethatyouastherehabprofessionalaretickingoffallyourgoalsfortheathleteineachsession.Onceyouhaveoutlinedyourexercisesandorderofcompletionitwillsetthetoneforbeingabletofocusontheothervariables,andthat’swherebeingspecificinyourtrainingprescriptionwillassistinovercomingtargetedinjurydeficits.Thestructure/orderthatIutiliseformyathletesisasfollows: PrepWorkPrepworkhasbeengivenabadrapnamelybecausehistoricallyithasbeenfilledsolelywithpassivetreatmentssuchasstretchingandfoamrollingpriortoastrengthsession,howevertherearemanyusefulavenuesyoucanutiliseattheverybeginningofasessiontosetyourathletesupforsuccess.Anyimmediatepreconditioningthatmayassistinfacilitatingloadingthroughouttherestofthesession,thismaybeisometricmodalitiesforneuraldriveorpainrelief(seevideobelow);ROMwork;BFRtrainingforpre-fatigue,and/oranykindofsofttissuetherapyormobilitydrillsthatyoumaywanttoprescribetheathleteshouldbeperformedinthisblock.Theimportantpointtonoteisthatthisworkshouldhaveaspecificpurposesothattheathletecangetmoreoutoftheirproceedingblocks.Thisisparticularlyhelpfulforathletesintheearlierstagesoftheirrehabilitationjourneywheretheymaysufferfromneuromuscularinhibitionasaresultofpainand/orswelling.Video–SBKneeExtensionIsometric–aimedatpromotinghighneuraldrivetothequadricepsthroughamaximalvoluntaryisometriccontraction. GaitMechanicsBlockForlowerlimbinjuries,thefoundationsofrunningmechanicsshouldbeginfromthedaythattheathletecanfullyweightbear,whetherthatbeonoroffcrutches.Settingthefoundationforgoodrunningpostureswillmakelifeeasierwhenyoureturntheathletetothefield,astheywillhavegraduallybuiltthemselvesuptothedemandsoflinearrunninginlowerload,safeenvironments.Thiscomponentofthesessionisplacedfirstinordertomaximisethefreshnessoftheathleteandwillalsoassistinactingasacentralnervoussystemstimulusthatwouldtraditionallybepresentattheendofaperformance-basedwarmup.Video–WallDrill:AccelerationLoad&Lift–usedprimarilyinaloadintroductionphasetodevelopkneeflexionandextensioncontrolwhilstgoingfromtripleflexionintotripleextension. VelocityBlockThisblockshouldbefocusedonprescriptionsbasedaroundwheretheathletesitsontheplyometriccontinuum.Forathletesintheearlystagesofrehabtheremaybenovelocityblockatallortheprescribedexercise(s)maybemundaneandrepetitive,butthepointofthisistopromotethefoundationallearningofpositionsthatwilllaterbeexposedtomorecomplexandchaoticenvironments.Developingthecapacitytotolerategroundcontactswillaidinanuncomplicatedreturntorunningandwillbuildconfidenceintheathlete.Video–CountermovementJump–performedinaloadintroductionorstrengthaccumulationphasetodevelopthestretchshorteningcycle. StrengthBlockThisblockistheprimaryfocusofthesessionandshouldtakeupthebulkofthesession.ForalowerlimbinjuryItypicallytargeteitherakneedominantorhipdominantdaybias,andallprescriptionsshouldreflecttheirstageofrehab.Rememberthisisarehabilitationprogramfirstandaperformanceprogramsecond,soiftheathleteissufferingfromafootorankleinjuryyouwantmorestimulispecifictothattissuethanglobalstrengthlifts.Describingthebreakdownofthestrengthsessioncouldbeanentirebloginitself,butthisshouldbethemostdemandingblockoftheprogramfromanenergyexpenditureperspective.Video–GHDBoschHold–utilisedinastrengthaccumulationphaseinordertobuildisometricstrengthatlengthofthedistalhamstrings. ResilienceBlockThefinalcomponentofthesession(ifneeded),thisiswhereanyextrastimulusthattheinjuredlimb/areaofthebodyneedsshouldbeprescribed.Oncetheathletehasfinishedtheirrehabilitationjourneytheresilienceblockisagoodplacetopositionongoingrehab‘topup’workorinjuryprevention-basedexercisesthatarespecifictotheathlete’ssport,i.e.forfieldsportathletesasuitableoptionmaybetoputhamstringoradductorbasedtopupsinhere(seevideo).Video–AdductorHold(ShortLever)–usedfromastrengthaccumulationphaseonwardstargetingisometricstrengthoftheadductormusculature. Wellthereyouhaveit!Mystructureforcreatingarehabilitationsessionfromstarttofinish.Ihopeyoufoundthisusefulandremember,systemisingprogramdesignisafundamentalprocessinnotonlysavingyoutime,butalsoinensuringyouaregettingoptimaloutcomesforyourathletes.Wanttolearnmoreaboutsportsrehab?DrTeddyWillseyhasdoneaMasterclasslectureseriesforuson:“ExercisePrescriptioninSportsRehab”YoucantryMasterclassforFREEnowwithour7-daytrial!LearnmoreJustinRichardsonDon’tforgettosharethisblog!Leaveacomment(1)Ifyouhaveaquestion,suggestionoralinktosomerelatedresearch,sharebelow!LatestLikesLoveitmateStevenCollins|21September2021|0LikesCancelYoumustbeloggedintopostorlikeacomment.RelatedblogsViewallHowtoDoseStrengthTrainingforOlderAdults7minread.Postedin ExercisePrescriptionDrJahanShiekhyShouldyouStretchaMuscleStrain?6minread.Postedin ExercisePrescriptionZeniaWoodHowtoMakeYourHomeExerciseProgramsMoreTimeFriendly6minread.Postedin ExercisePrescriptionEricBowmanGetupdateswhenwepostnewblogs.Subscribetoournewsletternow!SubscribeBycontinuingtousethissiteyouaccepttheuseofcookiesinaccordancewith ourcookiepolicy.OK