Physiotherapy Exercise Prescription

Push Pounds Sports Medicine offers fitness and rehabilitation services through specialized exercise prescription programs that are evidence-based and highly effective. Our fitness and rehabilitation specialists customize a targeted plan of fitness-related activities and exercises to achieve the best results. Similar to a patient who would receive prescription medication to help cure an illness, a fitness or rehabilitation specialist will prescribe fitness-related activities specific to the client’s needs – whether it be a healthy patient undergoing rehabilitation or a patient trying to manage symptoms of a disease.

Exercise prescriptions are individualized to each client and will vary in these general exercise principles:

a) The mode of exercise
b) The intensity of exercise
c) The duration of exercise
d) The frequency of exercise
e) The rate of progression of the patient’s physical activity

The mode of exercise may include aerobic exercise to improve cardiorespiratory fitness and anaerobic exercise to improve strength and control. Exercise may also be prescribed to improve muscle activation, flexibility, agility, technique, and proprioception. No matter what the purpose for the prescribed exercise, every session will include a low-intensity warm up period before exercise and a cool down period after the exercise. This is beneficial for the client to prevent injury. The intensity, duration, and mode of exercise will vary based on individuals’ needs.

Here are some common conditions treated by physiotherapists with exercise programs:

• Chronic low back pain
• Rotator cuff injuries
• Osteoarthritis (knees, hips)
• Neck muscle strain
• Posture-related issues
• Osteoporosis
• Sports-related injuries

The focus for exercise prescription, whether it be for rehabilitation or general fitness, is customization, motivation, and interest in order to create goals to set the path to success for each client.