There are a number of reasons you may require physical and rehabilitation therapy. Perhaps you suffered a work injury, or maybe you have chronic back pain.

While there are tremendous benefits to visiting a physical therapist, there are also limitations, for example, insurance issues. Many physical therapists have limited time and resources to provide services to patients, simply because of restrictions placed on them by insurance companies.

More and more physical therapists and medical professionals are referring people either to begin personal training after undergoing physical rehabilitation, or in some cases, even in place of, or while visiting a physical therapist.

A Holistic Approach

What’s perhaps most important to note about the differences between a personal trainer and a physical therapist is the personal trainer’s ability to approach your wellness from a holistic standpoint.

Often a physical therapist will only work on the injured or affected part of your body in able to restore the baseline functionality you experienced prior to your accident or affliction with chronic pain. This may be beneficial in terms of getting you back to work or to daily activities, but it doesn’t improve your overall health, fitness and feeling of well-being.

Along with the creation of goals, a personal trainer can work with an individual to improve strength, overall mobility and help guide them through corrective exercises that specifically address their injury or problem area.

Safety

At the forefront of concern for any personal trainer, specifically when dealing with an injury, is safety.

A personal trainer is able to work with your doctor or physical therapist, or simply assess the extent of your pain and injury, and then modify exercises, or develop new exercises with safety in mind.

Through this personalized work, you can learn better techniques for performing exercise and physical activity, which will not only make your workouts safe, but will also help you learn proper techniques to prevent future injuries.

For example, if you have a neck injury or pain and are unable to do traditional sit-ups or ab exercises, by working with a personal trainer, we can help you develop core-strengthening techniques that don’t strain this area of your body.

Functional-Movement

As mentioned, a personal trainer takes a holistic approach to your health and fitness, which is why you’ll also be able to utilize functional-movement training. While this is beneficial for everyone, it’s particularly beneficial for someone who’s experienced an injury or accident.

With functional-movement training, your trainer can assess your movement patterns in able to pinpoint problematic areas and then address them through exercise. With functional-movement training, you’re not only getting a workout, but you’re also improving balance, coordination and overall muscle strength.

This is one of the best ways to alleviate pain and prevent future injuries, while ensuring you’re most effective in your everyday life.

A Long-Term Plan for Success

Frequently after physical therapy or rehabilitation ends, a patient feels lost as to how to continue on their path to wellness. While they may be interested in gaining strength and becoming more fit, when they go about it on their own, it’s extremely easy to find themselves in a position where they’re again facing injury.

By enlisting the help of a personal trainer, more and more people are finding that it’s the best way to bridge the gap between temporary therapy and a lifetime of fitness.

If you’re looking for qualified personal training that can help address your pain or injury, but also get you in peak physical condition, contact us today. Private Fitness OC can help you get the life you’ve always wanted, without letting your injuries sideline you.