1. Improve posture
One of the things we focus on is assessing postural deviations from ideal alignment, for example, a forward head and rounded shoulders. We then work with patients to educate them on what contributes to this, and help them learn what proper posture feels like so that their own awareness kicks in when they fall out of proper posture. We also use corrective flexibility and exercises specific to each individual patient.
2. Correct Muscle Imbalances
When muscles aren’t balanced with proper length and tension relationships, problems will occur. Certain lifestyle habits and injuries can lead to some muscles stretching or contracting more than they should. When this happens a lot, over time the body will overcompensate, creating less-than-ideal movement patterns that can do more harm than good. In the practice, we work to correct muscle imbalances to encourage a well-aligned frame that can hold adjustments for longer.
3. Increase Core Strength/Minimize Low Back Pain
Did you know that many people with low back pain have an extremely weak core? Our core muscles wrap around the lower abdomen and connect to our back muscles. If we don’t work on adequately strengthening core muscles, they aren’t able to properly engage to protect our spinal cord from force or hold things in place–like our spinal bones. A stronger core means a stronger, more stable back and spine!
4. Interrupt/Stop Cumulative Injury Cycle
You lift weights, you injure yourself, you take a week off from the gym, and then you repeat the cycle over again. Sound familiar? Poor movement patterns lead to muscle imbalances and can create chronic injuries due to repetitive stress or movement pattern overload. Muscle imbalances are the main contributor to poor movement patterns. It’s a vicious cycle. Instead of getting stuck in the cycle, we can teach our bodies correct movement patterns to overcome and truly heal from injury. CET can help interrupt the cycle by introducing appropriate flexibility and truly healing from injury. CET can help interrupt the cycle by introducing appropriate flexibility and strength training that corrects muscle imbalances, encouraging proper firing and coordination of the muscles.
5. Cumulative Injury Cycle Breakdown
What causes the cumulative injury cycle? It all starts with tissue trauma, similar to a strain or micro-tear. When the body is injured, it signals inflammation to begin to help prevent further damage from happening. This leads to the muscle initiating a contraction, which leads to muscle spasms. After the spasm, knots in the muscles can occur, which can make proper movement impossible. Because the body always takes the least path of resistance, it will create a less-than-ideal movement pattern that leads to altered neuromuscular control and muscle imbalance. The best way to break this cycle is to correct the problem at its source.
6. Improve Mobility
When your body has muscle imbalances, it doesn’t move properly. This often means you’re experiencing a limited range of motion in certain joints. We help patients improve mobility by applying corrective flexibility to shortened and tight muscles and corrective exercises to weaker and lengthened muscles, helping them to properly fire. Creating balance within the length and tension relationships of a joint greatly decrease the chance of injury in the future.
Want to learn more about how corrective exercise can help? We’d love to chat with you. Contact our team today to get started and book a corrective exercise functional evaluation.