Injuries can be painful and debilitating, but with the right rehabilitation program, you can make a full recovery. Rehabilitation is a process that involves three distinct phases: the protective phase, the repair phase, and the remodeling phase. Each phase has its own set of goals and objectives that must be met in order to ensure a successful recovery. The protective phase is the first step in the rehabilitation process. This phase typically lasts two to four days, depending on the severity of the injury.
During this time, your body's goal is to protect the injury from further damage by limiting movement and recruiting supportive tissues to relieve additional pressure. Depending on the type of injury, this may involve wearing a compression bandage or crutch, tying your knee with a belt, or avoiding activities that increase pain or swelling. The next phase of recovery is the repair phase. This occurs after swelling or bleeding has subsided and usually lasts up to six weeks after the injury. During this time, your body is depositing new scar tissue to reduce the need for protection as much as possible.
This new scar tissue will help strengthen and support healed tissue so that you can meet the demands of your normal physical activity. The final stage of rehabilitation is the remodeling phase. This usually lasts between six weeks and three months after the injury. During this time, your body begins to teach scar tissue to behave like the tissue it has replaced. It produces additional new tissue to help strengthen and support healed scar tissue so that you can meet the demands of your normal physical activity. Most people are surprised to discover how their injury and the ensuing recovery period can lead to muscle weakness and loss of endurance.
Objective measures of muscle weakness and atrophy are commonly seen after injury and surgery within 4-6 weeks. Minimizing muscle loss and strength deficits are important rehabilitation goals set out in your physical therapy program. We can begin to progress to phase 2 when pain is greatly reduced, knee movement approaches normal, and key muscles around the knee and hip can be constantly activated. Depending on the injury, this may take a 60-minute session or several weeks. Every person and every injury is different, and while the right approach can speed up the healing process, certain aspects of anatomy cannot be rushed. We found that most traditional rehabilitation programs fail at several points in this process.
Pain generators are often not adequately addressed, which can result in altered muscle activation and altered movement biomechanics. Therefore, addressing all elements of Phases 1 and 2 is essential. However, where we see traditional rehabilitation most often fail is neglecting Phase 3 completely. Phase 3 is about building bulletproof knees for life. This phase builds on the foundations of the previous phases by ensuring consistency in muscle activation, balance, motor control, and force absorption. Strategically programmed warm-ups are used to make it easier to maintain consistency.
The elements of Phases 1 and 2 are constantly monitored throughout because we have clinically discovered that without constant training, these factors can return. We incorporate key exercises into Phase 3 DNA to make it easier to maintain consistency. We believe that a heavy load of muscles, tendons, bones, and joints with the right dose is essential for later stages of rehabilitation. If you only complete Phases 1 and 2, you're likely to feel better but you're at high risk of recurrence. Heavy load is a stimulus that forces additional adaptation such as collagen reorganization or increased muscle cross-sectional area. With a proper load, we can improve the endurance of your musculoskeletal system which cannot be completed within the limits of a traditional 4-6 week physiotherapy course. This strength training is always adapted to individual goals, skill level, and sport.
For athletes who want to return to play, Phase 3 also adds sport-specific high-speed motion and plyometric training. You should challenge your knee in real-life situations and practice moving and reacting to unpredictable circumstances in a safe environment before returning to higher-risk activities. Finally, Phase 3 relies on evidence-based evidence to ensure that injury risk factors are managed. Examples of this are push-up jump evaluation, star or Y balance tests, and one-leg jump tests. These tests should be monitored over time and addressed as needed. Phase III Restore ROM (Range Of Motion), improve strength and endurance, proprioception (body awareness), continue cardio training must be close. This leads to Phase 5 of the rehabilitation process which gradually returns the athlete to full activity. This phase of injury rehabilitation can include restoring coordination and balance, improving speed, agility, and sport-specific skills from simple to complex.
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