The training philosophy for optimal health
Get innovative with how you move.
Health professionals in the rehab space are often infamous for prescribing ridiculous-looking exercises. It’s as if they’re training their clients to train for the circus instead of everyday life. Wherever you stand on the efficacy of physical therapy, I promise there’s a method to this madness and will tell you why.
One of the most valuable lessons I’ve been taught by other rehab professionals is that modified exercises are everything. Yes, doing balance board squats or gorilla walks can look funky, but these movements all have a deeper purpose. Instead of focusing on a particular movement pattern or activity of daily life (walking down the stairs, cleaning the house, etc…), the best practice is to incorporate these elements into your rehab while adding additional challenges in the form of varied resistance, range of motion, and more.
This is all about getting greedy with your rehab.
We should never be focused on getting back to the same pre-injury form, but rather go beyond our past capabilities to bulletproof the body and prevent further complications down the road. Modified exercises like the ones below can help with that as you combine stability, proprioception, and strength training all into one.
To bring clarity to what this philosophy looks like from a practical sense, let me break down a knee rehab routine I’ve used for a knee-replacement patient near the end of their program. Wherever you’re at in your rehab process or fitness journey as a whole, modified exercises belong in your life. Let’s dive in!
Pioneering a New Standard of Physical Therapy
Before we get too deep into things, I want to preface by saying that everyone’s rehab journey will look different. I’m by no means suggesting exercise is the only thing you need to make your pain disappear. The best rehab plan is one that is holistic, emphasizing balance in all areas of wellness. If you want to get the most out of your physical health, take care of the whole self.
If you do have a history of musculoskeletal injuries or chronic conditions that may put you at risk during physical activity, please talk to a trusted health provider before following the guide below. Meanwhile, if you’re completely free of pain and past injuries, view this as a great prehab guide for preventing complications in the future. This is for absolutely everyone!
While you can do these movements every day, trust that 3–5 days per week is sufficient to start seeing results. If you have any additional questions about cues or modification requests, please let me know in the comments below! I’m always here to help. Now without further ado, let’s jump into the program! ⤵
Lateral Step-Ups
Purpose: Boosting single-leg stability & strength.
Application: 2 x 10–15 reps/side
Cues: Find a step or curb and stand parallel to it. Next, plant one leg on the surface and extend up fully. To complete a rep, descend slowly and plant your opposite foot on the floor before extending back up. Similar to the squat, if you want to elevate the intensity of this exercise, simply tap the opposite foot on the floor but keep the load through your planted leg.
Knees Over Toes Squat
Purpose: Increasing active mobility and strength while overcoming movement-related fear.
Application: 2 x 12–15 reps
Cues: Start by standing in a neutral stance with your feet about shoulder-width apart. From here, complete a modified squat by allowing the knees to freely move beyond the toes as you assume a calf raise position. This will build tensile strength around the knee while boosting ankle, calf, and shin health in the process. While it can be scary to move to this new range of motion at first, you won’t regret it. As long as you take things slow and progress over time it’ll feel natural, safe, and most importantly, liberating!
Proprioception Lunge
Purpose: Incorporating more strength work and introducing proprioception training.
Application: 2 x 10 reps/side
Cues: Step forward into a lunge, letting the knee creep slightly over the toes. To progress, step onto a pillow or Bosu ball to add instability. This will further enhance the strength and stability capabilities of the knee joint. Be aware that this is more of an advanced movement, so if you’re a beginner, I’d suggest starting with a regular lunge.
In Closing,
Physical therapy is so much more than getting back to regular function. It’s about going above and beyond by challenging how you move or even think about movement. Sure, some of the exercises may make you scratch your head, but thinking outside of the box is rarely a bad thing. In the context of rehab, going this extra mile will only boost your strength and expedite your recovery, all while allowing you to be more in tune with the miracle of the human body.
