Therapeutic Exercise
Definition & Purpose​
Therapeutic exercise refers to structured and prescribed physical activities designed to restore, improve, or maintain physical function, strength, flexibility, mobility, balance, and endurance. These exercises are commonly used in rehabilitation, injury prevention, and pain management.
Goals of Therapeutic Exercise
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Restore normal movement patterns
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Improve strength and endurance
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Enhance flexibility and range of motion
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Promote better posture and alignment
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Reduce pain and stiffness
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Prevent future injuries
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Aid in functional independence
Types of Therapeutic Exercises
1. Range of Motion (ROM) Ecercises
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Improve joint mobility and flexibility (e.g., stretching, passive or active-assisted ROM exercises)
2. Strengthening Exercises
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Increase muscle strength and endurance (e.g., resistance training, isometric exercises)
3. Balance & Coordination
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Improve stability and prevent falls (e.g., single-leg stance, stability ball exercises).
4. Postural & Proprioceptive Training​​
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Correct poor posture and enhance body awareness (e.g., core stabilization, prolordotic exercises for spinal alignment).
5. Aerobic & Endurance Training​
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Improve cardiovascular health and stamina (e.g., walking, cycling, swimming).
6. Functional Exercises
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Mimic daily activities to improve independence (e.g., squatting, lifting, reaching).
How It’s Used in Chiropractic Care
For chiropractic patients, therapeutic exercise is often prescribed to:
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Correct postural imbalances
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Strengthen core and spinal muscles
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Improve spinal alignment
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Support injury recovery (e.g., herniated discs, whiplash)
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Enhance joint mobility and flexibility
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Complement manual adjustments for longer-lasting results
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Conditions
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Neck pain & forward head posture
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Low back pain & lumbar instability
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Sciatica & nerve impingement
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Postural correction & prolordotic rehab
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Athletic performance & injury prevention
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