From sitting exercises to Pilates routines, there are a number of practices you can implement in your regimes as a travel therapy professional. With each different patient comes a different exercise plan. But, have you given much thought to using a medicine ball to help someone who is in rehabilitation for his or her back pain?
Back pain therapy
Whether it's due to injury or surgery, patients struggling with back pain may have a long road to recovery ahead of them. Depending on the individual, you may be faced with sore muscles, pain due to nerve damage or even herniated discs and other issues with the joints, ligaments or tendons. In a number of cases, you can help ease that discomfort by using workouts that help to strengthen the abdominal muscles, which are responsible for supporting the spine. An exercise ball can be especially useful for someone whose issues are found in the lower back.
Exercise balls
A ball may seem like an unstable object to utilize in the rehabilitation process, but as a travel PT you can guide your patients in the proper techniques of using such an object. Once you've brought the exercise ball into use, you'll witness your patients' bodies respond naturally to it. While going over different routines and workouts, they will have to figure out how to keep balanced. During this process, the core muscles of the body are working to prevent them from slipping, thus strengthening themselves. Additionally, those who use the device regularly will notice that their bodies become naturally aware of their orientation in terms of space, which leads to an overall increase to both stability and balance.
Workouts
Not all patients will benefit from the same exercise ball workouts, it depends on both what has brought them into rehab and their current condition. However, there are a number of specific exercises you can instruct them in to try out with a therapy ball:
- Arm-leg extensions are completed by lying on the ball with the stomach pressed against it. The feet and hands should be placed on the floor for stabilization. While extending the left arm, the right leg should be raised as well. After a slight pause, the patient should return to the starting position and repeat with the opposite extremities. You should instruct him or her to breath out while extending, thus inhaling on the return.
- In order to complete the hyperextension, the patient should kneel down in front of the ball. Then, his or her stomach should be placed on top of it, with each hand placed on either side of the equipment. The back can then be extended when the arms and legs are both straightened as the patient exhales. After a brief pause, instruct him or her to inhale and return to the starting position.
These are just two of the many options you have for using an exercise ball on travel physical therapy assignments. You might also find that this equipment is useful for those who are suffering from other injuries or recovering from a variety of surgical procedures. It's important that you are well-versed in the use of this equipment before moving forward with it as part of someone's rehabilitation program.