How Does Personal Training for Rehabilitation and Injury Recovery Work?

Recovering from an injury is difficult — there’s no other way to put it. Often the path to recovery is not a straight line, meaning that you have to be extra patient with yourself and your body. Though the process can get frustrating, it is essential that you take the steps necessary to rebuild strength.

A great way to help rebuild strength after physical therapy is by finding a personal trainer. Personal training after physical therapy can help you physically recover and will also offer you some personal motivation to keep going. With personal training in Pittsburgh, you can safely begin exercising under the supervision of a professional. To give you a better understanding of how personal training for injury recovery works, let’s take a look at the process of getting started.

Getting Started with a Personal Training in Pittsburgh after Physical Therapy

Your personal trainer will gather information from your physical therapist before starting you on a recovery program

The most important thing to discuss when a client is recovering from an injury or rehabbing from surgery is if their physical therapist specified any contraindications to exercise or movement. Contraindications are actions that could cause the patient further harm. A typical example of a contraindication for rotator cuff surgery would be to avoid exercises that pull from behind the head — such as in a lat pulldown. Contraindications can also specify certain machine weight limits that patients should avoid.

When a client is discharged from physical therapy, your personal trainer should contact the therapist and have them share their feedback. The therapist will often give their input into their limitations and capabilities with movement and exercise. Your therapist’s comments and suggestions are extremely valuable as it can help provide the framework for the evaluation process.

On occasion, some clients are not ordered for physical therapy post-surgery.  If this is the case, then the client must provide a medical release signed by their physician to begin personal training. The physician will state any type of exercise contraindications when they fill out the medical clearance. 

Creating Your Personalized Exercise Plan

After your physical therapist and personal trainer have exchanged pertinent information about your condition and goals, your trainer will get to work on a plan

When your personal trainer begins outlining your exercise plan, they’ll likely consider three important factors — mobility, stability, and strength — to determine where to begin.

These three factors are all related to the function of the affected area. For example, if you're recovering from a shoulder injury, the three criteria will be applied to your shoulder and surrounding muscles. 

Feedback is imperative as you progress through the evaluation process. For each client the evaluation process is going to be very different, since every surgery and recovery process is a little bit different. From the first session to the second and beyond, it is important that you express how you’re feeling so your trainer can make adjustments when needed.

What Can I Expect From Personal Training After Physical Therapy?

With the help of personal training in Pittsburgh, you can build strength and start regaining comfortable motion

The goal of corrective exercise is to correct the problem and get you as close as possible to where you were before your injury. Correcting a problem can consist of successfully restoring complete mobility, stability, and strength. Correction can also mean that you won’t get 100% mobility or stability or strength, but you and your trainer will make major improvements. Your improvements can be big strides that allow you to lead an active life while still being mindful of limitations. Through effective communication skills and an open ended dialog, you can start feeling more comfortable with your new capabilities.

What Do Results Look Like When Training With Holly Gatto?

When you choose Holly Gatto, a top personal trainer in Pittsburgh, you’ll receive a personalized recovery plan and one-on-one attention

Personal training after an injury can be intimidating. A lot of clients are timid in using the recovering muscles initially and need further guidance. If you’re looking for personal training in Pittsburgh, look no further than Holly Gatto. After months of training with Holly, clients are overjoyed at how far they have come with their post-rehab training.  They are content that they have not only achieved their goals, but that they exceeded their own expectations.

Just take a look at one of the glowing reviews from one of Holly’s clients:

"Holly Gatto entered my life last spring when I decided to get some help preparing for hip surgery. After being very active and working out regularly for many years I was in pain and unsure about what to do. Luckily for me I was assigned to Holly. I knew from day one that she was different from any trainer I had worked with in the past. Her professionalism and knowledge were evident from the start. She knew when to push and when to back off. She was also sensitive to issues other than my hip, such as some rotator cuff problems and general muscle tightness.”

• Lorrain D

If you’re dealing with an injury and are considering personal training in Pittsburgh, try training with Holly Gatto. With Holly Gatto you can overcome fears and physical limitations to build strength during recovery. Ready to get started? Download Holly Gatto’s free Health Habits Guideline or get in touch with Holly Gatto Fitness to start working towards your fitness goals today!