PORTLAND, Ore., July 22, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Portland chiropractor Dr. Samantha Stuart is raising awareness about the importance of personal training for successful injury rehabilitation. According to Dr. Stuart, many chronic pain or injury patients can benefit greatly from working with a personal trainer. Following an injury, Dr. Stuart says that patients are often hesitant to become physically active because they fear re-injury. However, her office helps patients safely rebuild strength and restore flexibility to the body, which helps patients regain their natural range of motion. Exercise also increases the flow of oxygenated blood, which aids in internal healing.
Portland patients struggling to heal following an injury may benefit from personal training. According to chiropractor Dr. Samantha Stuart, her services can help patients safely exercise and rebuild strength.
"After an injury, it's natural to worry about exercising," said Dr. Stuart. "After all, the last thing anyone wants is a repeated injury by straining a muscle or aggravating a misalignment. However, exercise is essential for promoting internal healing and building a strong core, which will protect the body against future injury. This is why a personal trainer is so incredibly important."
Dr. Stuart's practice provides personal training for patients, along with chiropractic adjustments and nutritional counseling. Dr. Stuart works with each patient to create a program tailored to that patient's specific health needs and wellness goals.
"A patient's current injury, long-term goals and previous level of activity greatly impact the type of training that is appropriate following an injury," said Dr. Stuart. "We can assess these different variables and create a program customized for the patient. This ensures that the patient is safely engaging in exercises that target the right core muscles without risking injury."
When healing from an injury, building core muscle strength helps reduce the occurrence of low back pain. According to Dr. Stuart, strengthening these muscles will help hold the spine in place. Exercises can also bring flexibility and coordination back to the body following injury.
Depending on a patient's injury, a typical session with the personal trainer may involve moderate strength training, low-impact cardio, and core work. Movements from Pilates and yoga may also be incorporated into the training.
"We understand how to modify exercises to meet a patient's unique wellness needs," said Dr. Stuart. "Working with a personal trainer provides a safe, effective way to start moving again. Exercise after an injury promotes healing and relieves back pain to get the maximum benefit out of each exercise."
Dr. Stuart follows a whole body philosophy to injury rehabilitation and back pain management. This means that the chiropractor address both the symptoms of pain as well as the underlying cause for injury. To do so, Dr. Stuart integrates chiropractic care with complementary therapies, including massage therapy and nutritional counseling. Integrating personal training with an injury rehabilitation program is part of Dr. Stuart's whole body approach to wellness care.