Did you know that physical therapists can use the study of kinetics in their assessments and treatments? In fact, it’s a vital component of physical therapy treatment. It’s important that your physical therapist is well studied in kinetics. This branch of study informs diagnostic and treatment techniques and makes treating patients more effective. If you’re unfamiliar with the relationship between the two, you can find out exactly what kinetics is and how it plays a role in PT treatment.
What is kinetics?
Have you heard the term “kinetics,” but you’re not entirely sure what it means? Simply put, kinetics is the study of movement in the human body. People who specialize in kinetics study human anatomy, biomechanics, skeletal systems, forces of motion, forces of gravity and muscles. They specialize in understanding how each of these systems works in connection with each other to create human movements. Kinetics can play a significant role in physical therapy treatment.
How can kinetics and physical therapy be a vital pairing during rehabilitation?
Implementing knowledge of kinetics exercises is essential to many types of rehabilitative treatments during physical therapy. Some of the times that kinetics can benefit physical therapy rehabilitation include:
- During the treatment of injuries — One instance when kinetics can particularly improve PT treatment is during treatment for an injury. Kinetics helps physical therapists conceptualize how people use their bodies and how injuries can disrupt the flow of movement. It also helps them guide their patients through exercises to improve the body’s movement flow and minimize disruptions.
- During injury prevention treatments — Kinetics can also be helpful for physical therapists helping patients practice injury prevention. Weaknesses and imbalances in the body can leave a person vulnerable to injury. By strengthening these areas with movement and exercise, a person can better protect themselves from experiencing an injury.
- During sports performance training — Knowledge of kinetics is essential for treating athletes during physical therapy sports performance training. Knowing how the body moves is integral to helping athletes perform movement smoothly, safely and efficiently.
- During balance and gait retraining — For patients who come into the clinic with poor balance and abnormal gait patterns, knowing how movement can be adjusted to restore mobility can make all the difference during treatment. Restoring healthy balance and movement can reduce a person’s chances of falling and developing walking problems in the future.
What examples of kinetic exercises can be performed during physical therapy?
In kinetics, there are two primary types of exercise. The first is called open-chain kinetic exercise, and the other is closed-chain kinetic exercise. During open-chain kinetic exercise, the hands and feet are free-moving. During closed-chain kinetic exercise, the hands and feet are in contact with the surface on which the exercise is performed. Open-chain kinetic exercises can specifically target a muscle group, while closed-chain kinetic exercises are more consistent with daily movements. Some examples of both closed- and open-chain kinetic exercises that a physical therapist might have their patients perform include:
- Bench presses.
- Pushups.
- Deadlifts.
- Lunges.
- Squats.
- Leg and arm curls.
- Leg presses.
Our REPAIR SI team can treat your condition with basic kinetics
At REPAIR SI, our range of services includes physical therapy, chiropractic care, acupuncture and fitness training. When you come to us to treat your condition, you can achieve your best physical, mental and spiritual life. We value whole-body treatment, which means your care will be extended to multiple areas of your life. It also means you’ll receive more robust physical therapy care, like kinetics-informed treatment. We value each of our patients. That’s why we’ve partnered with our community to provide you with the care and resources that work best for your unique needs.
Our team members are committed to serving our community in a professional manner to ensure that our patients feel satisfied with their care. Are you in need of physical therapy care for your condition? You can feel confident you’re getting high-quality care from us.
Don’t let your condition get the best of you any longer. It’s time to consider REPAIR SI for treatment. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions or concerns you may have.
Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.