Medical Exercise
Medical Exercise Programs
At Altered States, we offer individualized exercise plans that will enable you to move from disease to ease. Such programs are useful if you are interested in the following:
•injury prevention
•increasing core strength and back pain prevention
•post rehabilitation for specific injuries such as carpal tunnel, rotator cuff tears, knee or shoulder surgery, disc herniations
•postural correction
WHAT IS A MEDICAL EXERCISE SPECIALIST?
Medical Exercise is a specialty of fitness programming for the
medically based client. A Medical Exercise Specialist has undergone
special training to develop functional conditioning programs for
clients with special needs such as limited range of motion, decreased
strength, balance and coordination dysfunction and diminished
functional capacity for daily activities. The protocols used by a
Medical Exercise Specialist were developed by physical therapists to
provide structured conditioning guidelines for each client after
discharge from physical therapy or chiropractic. These protocols serve
as a baseline from which the client's progression, daily exercise and
intensity can be determined.
WHAT IS THE SCOPE OF PRACTICE FOR MEDICAL EXERCISE AND FUNCTIONAL CONDITIONING?
A Medical Exercise Specialist does not diagnose or provide any aspect
of medical treatment of a client's condition. The functional
conditioning program is designed for clients who are referred and given
medical clearance by a licensed physical therapist, chiropractor or
physician for conditioning services. It focuses on activities to
enhance the client's function, and is customized to the specific needs
of the client. A Medical Exercise Specialist or a Post Rehab
Conditioning Specialist always performs the conditioning program. A
screening for admission into the program is required, and it is
designed for client's who have been given medical clearance after
moving beyond the acute phase of their condition. This program is not
to be used in lieu of the services of a licensed medical professional
for a client in need of professional rehabilitation services.
WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION INTO A POST-REHAB OR FUNCTIONAL CONDITIONING PROGRAM?
The criteria for admission into the functional conditioning program for are as follows:
1. no open wounds
2. the client is beyond the acute phase of his/her condition
3. the client's pain level is '5' or below
4. the client must have a medical referral from a physician, physical therapist or chiropractor to begin the program
5. the client must complete an initial screen and fitness assessment.
If, at any point throughout the post-rehab program, the client
demonstrates any of the following symptoms he or she will be sent back
to their referring practitioner:
1. Radiating Pain
2. Numbness/Tingling
3. Chest Pain/Shortness of Breath
4. Swelling
5. Loss of Range of Motion
6. Night Pain
7. Open Wounds
WHAT KINDS OF CONDITIONS ARE ADDRESSED BY THE MEDICAL EXERCISE PROGRAM AT ALTERED STATES OF SCIENCE?
A musculoskeletal screening and functional conditioning assessment are
completed on each client before initiating exercise to ensure that the
client is appropriate for the program. The functional conditioning
program then offers strengthening and flexibility for clients with
various musculoskeletal disorders. Established protocols are followed
for low back pain, shoulder impingement, rotator cuff tear, hip and
knee replacements, cervical strain, ACL rupture/reconstruction,
meniscal tear, achilles tendon rupture, patello-femoral syndrome,
fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel syndrome and thoracic outlet syndrome.
Altered States of Science will work with each medically based client to
maintain and improve the level of function gained by their
post-rehabilitation program. Function includes:
• Proprioception (how your body figures out where it is in space)
• Joint Stability
• Strength
• Muscle Recruitment
• Coordination
Each client will receive a print out of independent exercises they can
do at home, at work or at a gym. A wide range of exercises are
available to accommodate a client based completely at home with no
equipment, to client's who have full gym access including Theraballs
and weight machines.
Altered States of Science can provide a Functional Conditioning program
independently or along with massage therapy for medically based clients
as part of the long-term management of their medical condition.
