Everyone has his or her own weaknesses and muscular imbalances that need to be addressed, from experienced athletes to beginners that have just begun incorporating fitness into their lifestyle.
Addressing these weaknesses allows an individual to maintain longevity in their physical capabilities, overall health and ability to attain goals. For experienced athletic individuals that have been working out for an extensive period of time, identifying muscular imbalances that are the sources of nagging injuries and physical gains is key. For the more novice individuals (the inexperienced beginners) the approach to working out may be a more difficult and risky task. One of the most common mistakes made by inexperienced individuals is the sudden and sporadic initiation of strenuous workout regimens with lack of true commitment, which ultimately leads to poor or no results. This erratic form of working out also leads to the development of postural and/or muscular imbalances.
The typical workout routine of the novice individual is to join a local gym close to work and aim to “drop-in” 4 to 5 times a week, beginning with the typical mundane workout routine compromised of one or more of the following: cardio on machines such as the treadmill, weight lifting using free-weights (exercises such as bicep curls). Many of these individuals have the misconception that this type of training is the accurate way and “doing their body good”. However, what they are not aware of is that they are actually doing their body more harm than good.
At The Health Institute (THI) we handle physical activity with a systematic approach using evidence based testing and therapeutic protocols. This approach ensures that athletic youth, Weekend Warriors, Golden Warriors or professional athletes, celebrities, and entertainers begin with a training system that entails all the details of their body prior to working out. Our thorough assessment and individualized exercise routine is prescribed to correct any weaknesses to establish a frame that can get stronger and healthier.
No matter the demographic background of the patient, at THI we always begin training with our THI Health Assessment. THI’s team of health care professionals are involved in the assessment providing expertise to each patient. To ensure success, we believe in combining all of our knowledge and expertise for each and every individual to attain their goals through a safe and optimal approach. Team THI is consumed of chiropractors, registered massage therapists, personal trainers, kinesiologists, medical acupuncturist, and cognitive health therapist.
The following list summarizes the major focuses of THI Health Assessment:
1) Cognitive health – Stressors are determined with a questionnaire asking: “What Causes Stress?”
This initial screening of potential clients cognitive health allows the team to identify barriers of success/goals to be attained. This is applicable for athletes who may face performance issues within their arena of sport or individuals who sustained traumatic injury and are in the rehabilitative phase of treatment.
2) THI Physical Assessment-The Physical Assessment is broken down into 3 categories:
==> Postural assessment- Looking for noticeable postural imbalances. It’s important to go through this because it points out your bodies’ alignment, which may prevent you from performing and functioning optimally. Also having poor posture increases your chance of injury.
==> Functional Movement Screening (FMS)- A movement screening grading system of 7 different movements which identifies poor movement patterns, asymmetries, and imitations. It’s used as a functional baseline that can track progress and performance. It is vital to make sure your body is moving right with the proper activation of the right muscles and the right time. This ensures that there is no overworking/compensating muscles in the body. This allows us to optimize your performance and shows precursors of possible injuries.
==> Fitness Assessment- Our fitness assessment is specifically designed to address an overall fitness baseline to track your progress. The assessment is comprised of 8 specific exercises made to test your cardiovascular endurance, muscular endurance, power, strength, speed, and your will power!
3) Report of Findings: Plan of Health Action- A review of the findings with the health professionals of THI is conducted. The findings will dictate an individualized Plan of Health Action to address the limitations of the patient. Every Plan of Health Action will consist of THI Therapy, THI Rehab and progress to THI Training.
4) THI Therapy: Our approach to therapy is strongly influenced by the following quote:
“The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his or her patients in the care of the human frame, in a proper diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease.”
-Thomas A. Edison. US inventor (1847-1931)
THI Therapy is a systematic, problem-solving approach to patient treatment that has a sound scientific and clinical basis. THI Therapy can help treat ACUTE (new) or CHRONIC (old) injuries.
THI Therapy consists of manual therapy which includes:
1. ACTIVE RELEASE TECHNIQUES (ART®)
2. Medical Acupuncture
3. Assisted Stretching
4. Chiropractic
5. Corrective Exercises Programs (rehabilitation)
6. Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Therapy
7. Fascia Release and Joint Mobilization
8. Physical Therapy
1. WHAT IS CAUSING THE PAIN?
This condition alters the texture of soft tissue, which THI Health Care Practitioners who are experienced ART® providers can diagnose and treat.
2. WHAT CAN BE EXPECTED FROM TREATMENT?
THI Therapy uses motion and exercise to fix the problem. Once the injury has been assessed, our staff will use hands on treatment, patient motion to “free up” the problem areas and exercise to increase strength and stability.
5) THI Rehab: Corrective exercises and plan-Once we used our findings from the assessment and have undergone treatment (if needed), then we use a series of specific corrective exercises addressing your weaknesses and imbalances. At THI, we go through a specific plan to address and fix any apparent issues and in the mean while we make sure individuals are still getting stronger. We also make sure to make things challenging and fun at the same time. Once your body has gone through the corrective stage we move on to the next stage, which is known as “the strength stage”.
Our program is typically broken down into the following phases
1. Initial assessment
2. Corrective stage
3. Mobility stage (often tying in with corrective stage)
4. Strength stage
5. Power stage
