Injury and Pain

People wanting to exercise often have a previous injury, existing chronic injury, or some pain. Not severe enough to prevent strenuous activity, but something that needs to be considered in creating a training program. Also common are physical conditions which may limit or predispose a person to injury if exercise is not done properly.

Please note that in any instance of injury or pain, consultation with a doctor or physical therapist should always occur, and clearance to exercise be given. Also note that personal training is not a substitute for medical care or physical therapy.

Testing mobility in a lunge

With this said, Steven Rice Fitness can work with and help improve some of these injury, pain, and movement restrictions. Developing mobility and strength can bring improvement in movement confidence, manage pain, improve quality of life and athletic performance. Particular areas needing work may be addressed, but always as part of a whole body approach.

This includes addressing posture, which is a potential contributor to injury, and an important component of how we are perceived by others and by ourselves.

And while many treatments or therapies, such as stretching, foam rolling, massage, or ice, may be useful for relieving uncomfortable symptoms, exercise can reduce the causes for many of these physical issues.

Cross-training for athletes is another way this approach works. Instead of directly working at performing the sport activities, which is the athlete's priority, cross-training improves physical fitness in ways indirectly beneficial to the sport, and gives the athlete benefits to health that might be missing from a sport-specific training program.

Further reading:

Pain:
Review: A Guide to Better Movement
Managing Low Back Pain with Exercise 

Posture:

Improving Posture

Mobility:

Mobility and Warming Up

Shoulder and thoracic spine mobility exercise