Functional Training - Physical Therapy

Functional training is a specialized approach to physical therapy that focuses on improving your ability to perform everyday activities. Instead of isolating specific muscles, functional training involves teaching your body to work as a unit, preparing you for the physical movements and duties you face in everyday life.

At Precision Orthopaedic Specialties, we incorporate functional training into our comprehensive physical therapy programs. Contact one of our offices in Northeast Ohio today to book your appointment!

What is Functional Training?

Functional training focuses on exercises that mimic the movements you perform in daily life, such as bending, lifting, squatting, and reaching. These movements often require multiple muscle groups to work together.

This is why training your core muscles, balance, and coordination are all part of functional training. Unlike traditional strength training, which may isolate a specific muscle group, functional training aims to improve how different muscle groups work together to support functional movements.

Functional training can involve sports physical therapy or occupational therapy, depending on your desired outcome and goals.

How Does Functional Training Help?

Functional training can improve your ability to perform everyday activities, from simple tasks like walking up stairs to more complex ones like lifting heavy objects. By strengthening the muscles you use in daily life, you reduce the risk of injury and enhance your overall mobility. Functional training, when done regularly, also helps improve your posture, balance, and flexibility, which are critical for avoiding future injuries, particularly as we age or recover from surgery.

Functional training can help strengthen your core muscles, improve endurance, and support proper movement patterns. For example, if you work in landscaping, functional training would focus on movements like lifting and carrying heavy loads, mimicking the physical demands of your job. Similarly, athletes recovering from a sports injury can use functional exercises to regain the strength and coordination needed for their specific sport.

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Who Can Benefit from Functional Training?

Functional training can benefit a wide range of individuals, including:

Functional Training Compared to Other Forms of Training

Unlike traditional strength training, which often isolates one muscle group at a time, functional training focuses on integrating multiple muscle groups into natural, fluid movements. While both forms of training can build strength, functional training is more focused on improving daily life activities rather than just increasing muscle mass.

Traditional strength training, such as lifting weights, is often done to increase muscle size and strength. In contrast, functional training is designed to help you improve movement patterns for everyday activities. For example, while bicep curls strengthen your arms, functional exercises like planks, push-ups, pull-ups, and squats train your core and full body for balance, coordination, and endurance, which translates better to real-world tasks.

What Should I Expect from a Functional Training Session?

A typical functional training session is customized based on your needs and goals. A physical or occupational therapist is developing an exercise routine that mimics the types of movements you perform in daily life or your occupation.

Sessions may start with warm-up exercises, followed by functional movements like squats, lunges, planks, push-ups, or activities such as pulling or lifting objects. These exercises are incorporated into functional training because they mimic common physical movements and duties.

If you are recovering from a wrist injury, functional training will focus on strengthening the muscles around your wrist and teaching you how to use your hand and arm safely in everyday activities. Similarly, if you experience lower back pain, the exercises may include core training or strengthening exercises that target your lower back, hips, and abdomen to improve stability.

How Often Should I Train?

The frequency of your functional training sessions depends on your goals and current condition. For most people, two to three sessions per week are recommended to start seeing improvements in strength, mobility, and overall health. Your physical therapist will develop an exercise program tailored to your specific needs, adjusting the intensity and duration based on your progress.

What Types of Exercises Are Involved?

The types of exercises incorporated into functional training vary from person to person. Some common functional exercises include squats, lunges, planks, push-ups, pull-ups, and other bodyweight movements.

These exercises are designed to strengthen your core muscles, improve balance, and enhance your ability to perform everyday tasks. A functional training program may also include balance work, resistance band exercises, or mobility drills, all designed to improve your strength and coordination.

Ready to Improve Your Daily Life with Functional Training?

At Precision Orthopaedic Specialties, our expert physical and occupational therapists are here to help you regain strength, mobility, and confidence through personalized functional training programs. Whether you’re recovering from an injury, enhancing your athletic performance, or looking to improve your everyday function, we can develop a program tailored to your needs. Contact us today to schedule an appointment!

Medically reviewed by Michael J. Kellis, D.O., FAOASM

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