Rehab
Movement Heals Your Body
At HFC, our functional strength program teaches strategic and case-specific rehabilitative exercises designed to increase range of motion and improve stability. Our goal is to empower our patients to be as mobile as possible by giving them specific tools and guidelines to continue their health journey outside of our office.
Please note, our strength program is not a substitution for Physical Therapy. If our doctors feel your case requires additional rehabilitation in the form of Physical Therapy services, they will ensure you are referred to one of our PT partners for collaborative care for the best results possible!
Fix Your Chronic Pain
FAQ
What is the importance of stretching and exercising?
The purpose of rehabilitative exercise is to both “undo” all of the day to day activities that have caused patients to seek care in the first place, and to strengthen the areas associated with pain to reduce the likelihood of re-injury. These exercises are designed for patients to keep in their back pocket to help decrease pain and stiffness in between their chiropractic appointments and beyond.
How long should I do these exercises?
While you are on an active careplan, it is recommended that you complete the stretches at least once a day, every day. After you move onto wellness care, these stretches and exercises become tools that you can keep in your back pocket to help keep you limber and comfortable between your adjustments. If you notice an increase in muscle tightness, increase the frequency that you perform the stretch back to once a day.
Will rehab hurt?
The purpose of introducing your body to movement during your care is to ensure that we are communicating to your nervous system (brain) what your body is capable of. It is VERY important to understand that pain or discomfort does not equal damage. Our nervous system produces a feeling of pain as a way to communicate with us. Movement literally blocks pain signals to your brain through blocking that pathway in your spinal cord! You may feel discomfort as you are doing the exercises, but you are also training your brain to raise up your pain threshold which will ultimately enable you to do and move more!
If there are any exercises that are too painful, our staff is prepared to modify or change what you are doing to ensure you are getting the best results possible. Make sure to have great communication with your rehab specialist throughout your care. That specialist will work alongside your doctors to ensure we are making things BETTER, not worse.
Why should I be doing my exercises in the office with the staff?
While you are under acute care with us, and the doctor has prescribed specific exercises, it is important that you are doing them properly to get the very best results. Doing these exercises in the office will ensure:
- They are being done.
- They are being done correctly.
- They can be modified to be easier or harder depending on your progress.
- That, by the time you are phased out to wellness care, you are completely comfortable continuing those exercises on your own at home!
What can I expect from Rehab during my Care Plan?
Rehab is broken into two phases for all of our acute patients. In Phase 1, we are focusing primarily on your overall range of motion in the area(s) that are being treated by the doctors. For many patients, there will be a switch to Phase 2 about halfway through the care plan.
Phase 2 is all about strengthening the area that is being treated to help prevent exacerbation or re-injury. Throughout your care plan, your rehab specialist will be communicating your progress with your doctors. If these exercises need to be modified to be made easier or harder, or we need to postpone your transition into Phase 2, these decisions and changes can be made as you go through care to ensure you get the best results possible.