Exercise therapy

Strength, flexibility, speed, endurance, and coordination are the five so-called fundamental motor skills. All of these can be influenced by training, and within physical therapy, we then speak of exercise or training therapy.

Exercise therapy can be implemented in many different ways, but they do have things in common. Exercise therapy always requires the patient's active involvement and is aimed at improving weak points in the body. Often, multiple basic motor qualities are trained at the same time, for example strength endurance and speed strength.

Strength

By strength we mean muscle strength, that is, how strong a muscle or muscle group is. We need muscle strength to move or to maintain a posture. Strength is an umbrella term that includes different types of strength. For example, we distinguish explosive strength, maximal strength, strength endurance, etc.

These different types each require a different approach. During strength training, therefore, varying exercises, repetitions, speeds, and weights are used. In this way, the training is specifically tailored to the type of strength that needs to be trained.

Flexibility

Flexibility indicates the degree of freedom of movement of joints and muscles. When mobility is limited, this can affect a person's movement and function. For example, a stiff ankle joint can impede the rolling motion of the foot. This restricts walking or running and can lead to injuries. Excessive flexibility can also cause problems when a joint becomes unstable.

Speed

Speed is the ability to move yourself or an object within a certain time. It concerns how quickly the joints change position. This can, of course, happen quickly or slowly and in one or multiple joints at the same time.

When sprinting, the whole body moves. When throwing a ball, only part of the body is accelerated, in this case the arm and trunk. But the harder you throw the ball, the more of the body is recruited.

Endurance

Endurance enables us to sustain an activity for a (long) time. Compare the endurance of a 100 m sprinter with that of a marathon runner. The former will be more explosive and powerful, but the marathon runner has the ability to maintain a certain pace for a very long time.

This is related to adaptations of the cardiovascular system and to adaptations of the muscles and tendons themselves. The ability to take up more oxygen and pump more blood around is the result of conditioning. This can be achieved, for example, through cycling, running, and swimming. The best results are obtained by training with varying intensity, the so-called interval training.

Coordination

To move well, the nerves must send the right signals to the muscles. Coordination is a complex interplay between nerves and muscles, in which the right muscles contract at the right time and with sufficient force. At the same time, other muscles must relax to allow that movement. Someone with good coordination moves efficiently and with the least possible effort.

All of these basic motor qualities are important for good physical function. However, in one person more emphasis may be placed on one or more qualities. For example, a baseball player will train a lot for strength, speed, and coordination, while a marathon runner will focus more on training endurance.

Make an appointment with a physical therapist if you have symptoms.