Corrective Exercise is Something We Should All Be Doing

Corrective exercise is a type of exercise that is used to restore a person’s strength and mobility. It focuses on the specific needs of the individual and their body’s biomechanics to identify imbalances and correct them.

If you find yourself experiencing pain and discomfort when performing physical activities you used to do with ease, then corrective exercise might be just what you need.

Corrective exercise works by strengthening weak muscles, improving flexibility that has been lost due to injury or injury compensation, and restoring normal movement patterns that have been lost due to biomechanical dysfunction. Corrective exercise also helps to reduce chronic pain and improve the overall quality of life for those who are suffering from it.

The term biomechanical dysfunctions is a specific term that applies to various types of impairments or pain in the joints, muscles, and other tissues in the body. These dysfunctions can be caused by injuries such as from overuse or sports, or by chronic health conditions such as arthritis, and simply the aging process.

What are the Most Common Types of Corrective Exercises?

Corrective exercises are exercises that are specifically designed to improve certain muscle groups or muscular patterns.

They are often categorized by the type of physical movement, intended muscle group, or specific movement pattern.

The most common types of corrective exercises are:

1. Muscle Activation Exercise: This type of exercise is designed to increase the strength and activation of muscles that may be inhibited or weak. It also increases the stability and activation of joints that may be unstable. This can help improve movement patterns, reduce pain, and reduce the risk of developing chronic conditions such as arthritis.
2. Joint Mobilization: This type of exercise focuses on increasing the range in motion in a joint that has become stiff with age or injury.

3. Core Training: Core training is all about strengthening your abdominal muscles which can stabilize your spine, give you more power in your hips, legs, and shoulders, and improve posture.

Corrective exercise works by:

1. Inhibiting Identified Overactive Muscles: Using various tools such as a foam roller, massage or sports ball, or handheld trigger point massagers you can inhibit the muscles that are “overactive” or doing more work than they should. Overactive muscles can feel tight, painful, or restricted in movement.
2. Stretching or Lengthening Overactive Muscles: Overactive muscles are likely to be shortened from the original length which can contribute to tightness and restriction. Static stretches work to lengthen the muscle to allow for a better range of movement and less pain.
3. Integrating Exercises and Improving Coordination: Training the muscles and joints to work together optimally is paramount for achieving optimal movement. Corrective exercises are designed specifically to improve balance, coordination stability, and core strength.

The Benefits of Corrective Exercise and Why We Should all be Doing it

It is not uncommon for people with chronic pain or biomechanical dysfunction to neglect their physical fitness because they are overwhelmed with their ailment and think they can’t achieve better physical performance. It will be too hard or they aren’t fit enough to exercise. But this mindset is actually detrimental because staying active can help alleviate some of the symptoms that are associated with many conditions. One way for people living with these conditions to maintain an active lifestyle is by doing corrective exercises that help fix the underlying issue at hand.

Corrective exercise is safe and beneficial for all ages. From adolescents with overuse injuries due to sports activities, to office workers who spend too much of the day sitting and don’t get enough exercise to older adults who have trouble getting up from a chair and completing everyday tasks, corrective exercise can relieve pain and restore your strength and mobility.

It’s never too late or too soon to improve your health. At Dutchess Braincore and Wellness Center, our patients work with Jenn, a corrective exercise specialist. Jenn works together with me and my chiropractic patients to design an individualized corrective exercise program, show them the proper techniques and provide feedback and program adjustments to help patients recover faster and return to everyday tasks without pain.

You don’t have to be fit or athletic to begin a corrective exercise program. Many patients are surprised by how easy the exercises are to begin and that they have no trouble completing the routine. We often hear how patients wish they had started sooner instead of suffering from the pain and inconvenience for so long. It feels good to have a strong body, feel capable and it shows in our patient’s smiles.

The benefits of corrective exercise are well-known and documented, we encourage you to do all the research you need. We know you’ll find It has been shown to improve posture, restore mobility, reduce chronic pain, help with arthritis, and improve energy levels. All these factors have a positive effect on our health and the quality of the life we live

As a chiropractor, I am always looking to provide my patients with the tools to be healthier, live better, and feel great without relying on pharmaceuticals or invasive procedures. Corrective exercise is something I highly recommend to my patients. Sometimes “the fix” is easier than we think.

Want to feel better, stronger, and more flexible? Here’s your chance. Give us a call to come in for an initial assessment. I’ve built an in-office private fitness studio because I want to make it as easy as possible for my patients to embrace the benefits of corrective exercise. I promise you are going to love the results and wish you started sooner.