Forms and methods of exercise therapy

Methods used in physical therapy

The method of carrying out the treatment procedure is chosen according to the patient's condition, its functionality and various types of exercise therapy. Exercise therapy is carried out individually, in groups and independently. Individual classes are used for seriously ill patients with limited ability to move. The advantage of the individual method is the accuracy of dosage and exercises, more reliable monitoring of the patient’s condition.

Most common group exercise therapy methods, in which classes are conducted with a group of patients. Individuals with the same diseases (if possible in the same stage) and fitness level are selected into groups. The group method is more emotional, but the dosage and quality of the exercises are not very accurate. The optimal number of people in a group is 10-15. There are also small group classes - 3-5 people in a group.

An independent (consultative) method is used if the patient cannot regularly visit the medical institution assigned to him at the time allotted to him or he, having completed treatment in a hospital or clinic, continues rehabilitation at home. Independent exercises are indispensable for injuries, paresis, paralysis, chronic respiratory diseases, when only repeated repetition of exercises during the day can lead to restoration of function or development of compensation. Before starting independent training, the patient must master the necessary set of exercises under the guidance of a specialist. When conducting exercise therapy at home, the patient must periodically visit a doctor or physical therapy therapist to receive instructions for further exercise.

The main types of forms of exercise therapy include:

1. hygienic gymnastics,
2. therapeutic exercises,
3. short, measured walking,
4. easy health jogging,
5. walks,
6. excursions,
7. short-distance tourism,
8. sport exercises,
9. health path,
10. gaming activities.

The most important form of exercise therapy is considered to be procedure of therapeutic exercises (LG). Having a huge selection of physical and strength exercises, it can be used at any age, for almost any disease, in any conditions: directly in the ward, or the patient’s bed, in a specialized exercise therapy room, outdoors in the air, in a natural or artificial aquatic environment.

The determining criterion in choosing the nature of physical training, its dose, and initial starting positions is physical condition, well-being of the patient. This also takes into account the clinical features of the course of the disease, and even more so the severity and depth of morphological disorders in the patient’s organs and tissues, as well as his age, gender, physical development, skills, previous physical fitness, and ability to breathe correctly.

1. physical exercises must have an impact on the patient’s entire body;
2. both general strengthening and highly specialized exercises should be combined;
3. compliance with the gradual and consistent increase and decrease in the level of physical activity;
4. alternation of muscle groups involved in physical exercises;
5. rhythmic performance of each exercise with a gradual increase in the amplitude of movements;
6. introduction of breathing exercises in between gymnastic exercises to reduce physical activity;
7. daily partial updating, complication of exercises, introduction of 10-15% of new exercises during the treatment course;
8. teaching patients exercises recommended for subsequent training at home during the final 3-4 days of the course;
9. compliance with basic didactic principles (consciousness, activity, visibility, accessibility, systematicity, consistency) when teaching patients physical exercises;
10. the nature of the training, physiological load, tempo, rhythm, dosage, starting positions must correspond to the patient’s movement regime.

Proper use of physical exercise involves distribution of physical activity in accordance with the optimal physiological curve. Here we understand the dynamics of the body’s reactions to strength exercises throughout the entire procedure. The rationing and distribution of physical activity has the form of a multi-vertex curve, for the construction of which the pulse rate is usually used.

As a rule, any PH procedure consists of three components: introductory, main (or main) and final (final). The introductory section, lasting 10 - 20% of the total training time, consists of elementary exercises; its task is to gradually bring the patient’s body to increasing stress. In the main section, which makes up 65-85% of the total class time, general and specialized training effects on the body are performed. The balance of general developmental and special exercises is calculated individually, depending on the phase of the pathological process and the level of motor activity. At this stage, gently make the physiological load maximum. In the final section (10-20% of the total time), through elementary gymnastic and breathing exercises, the load is slowly, gradually reduced.

When performing PH, special attention should be paid positive emotions, promoting the establishment and fixation of conditioned reflex connections. To create them, they use a playful method of conducting classes (especially for children), musical accompaniment, and use exercises with all kinds of objects and sports equipment, which visually confirm the improvement of the quality and level of motor skills of those involved.

Hygienic gymnastics is a series of exercises used to increase complex tone, strengthen immunity, health and level of physical development. It is available at different times of the day. Used after waking up, it is called exercises, as well as morning hygienic gymnastics (UGG). Often UGG, which is the most famous form of physical education, both in medical institutions and directly at home. As a rule, it consists of 10-15 different exercises performed in 10-15 minutes.

Dosed walking As a form of exercise therapy, it is used at all stages of treatment. Walking speed is divided into:

1. walking at a pace of up to 40 steps per minute,
2. slow - 50-70 steps per minute,
3. medium - 80-100 steps per minute,
4. fast - up to 120 steps per minute
5. very fast - 120-140 steps per minute.

Health running (also known as jogging) is used in alternation with walking or breathing exercises, as well as in the form of continuous and prolonged running.

Terrencourt (metered ascent) combines simply walking on a horizontal plane with ascents and descents within a slope of 3-20° over a distance of 500-5000 m. It is used in sanatoriums as a strengthening agent for the cardiovascular system of patients. In this case, physical activity is normalized by the length of the route, the degree of ascent, and the number of rest stops.

Such forms of exercise therapy as walks, excursions, short-distance tourism allow you to combine an active perception of nature and the environment with dosed physical activity (mainly walking). The effectiveness of their therapeutic and prophylactic action increases significantly in combination with resort and landscape factors.