Physical rehabilitation is necessary to restore the original body’s form and function after a severe injury, surgery, or accident. Some athletes require regular physical rehabilitation to keep up their optimal performance. While the effectiveness of physical rehabilitation and its duration highly depends on the person and their specific case, a thoroughly planned physical rehabilitation program in a physical therapy clinic, Lafayette, LA, with proper exercises and movements that work on you through various stages is very crucial.
If you are considering physical rehabilitation, know how it is divided into its five crucial steps here.
Step #1- Fixing Phase: The first and most crucial stage of your rehabilitation is the recovery and offloading phase. This step can also be the longest, depending on your body’s ability to repair. The primary focus of a physical therapist in this phase is to let the body recuperate from its injury and begin the natural healing process. The injury is first protected from further damage by taking off any weight from the damage site. A physical therapist at a rehabilitation center, Lafayette, LA, might put the injured area in a cast or sling to protect it from further damage. During the healing process, you may notice some inflammation in the affected area, which is a normal reaction of our body due to the breakdown and removal of damaged tissues and cell debris from the injury site. The inflammation and associated pain is treated with ice/ heat, over-the-counter medications, and prescription medicines.
Step #2- Repairing Phase: Once the healing process has begun, the next step is to recondition the affected area to the normal range of motion. Some light flexibility exercises are an excellent way to increase mobility in the injured area without over-exerting it. The physical therapist may also have you perform exercises with light weights to prepare you for the next step. However, using heavy weights is entirely discouraged at this point as it can lead to worsening of the injury.
Step #3- Strengthening Phase: Not working your muscles for too long can cause them to atrophy and reduce your endurance. After the normal range of motion is restored and the body has regained its flexibility, the next step for your physical therapy in Lafayette, LA, will be to improve your strength. Weight lifting machines gradually increase the body’s ability to pick heavy weights safely.
Step #4- Progress Phase: Most patients improve their strength and flexibility in this phase, however, they rarely reach the previous full-range of motion or flexibility they had pre-injury.
Step #5- Injury Prevention Phase: Another step that most patients overlook is the injury prevention phase, where the body is trained to prevent any injuries in the future. The process includes identifying and managing risk factors that caused the present damage.
About Cornerstone at the Ranch
Cornerstone at the Ranch is a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center located in Lafayette, Louisiana. We provide physical, occupational, and speech therapy, 24-hour nursing, dietary services, and social services. Our nursing staff is highly experienced and carries out their duties with loving care. They are our biggest strength and the reason behind the quick recovery of most of our residents.
You can call us at (337) 981-5335 or fill out our contact form to schedule a tour of the center.