Exercise therapy is best defined as the prescription of bodily movement to correct impairment, improve musculoskeletal function, or maintain a state of wellbeing. It may vary from carefully selected activities restricted to specific muscles or parts of the body, to general and/or vigorous activities that can return an injured person back to their peak of physical condition. Exercise therapy seeks to accomplish the following goals:¥Enable ambulation; ¥Release contracted muscles, tendons, and fascia; ¥Mobilise joints;¥Improve circulation; ¥Improve respiratory capacity;¥Improve coordination; ¥Reduce rigidity;¥Improve balance; ¥Promote relaxation; ¥Improve muscle strength; ¥Improve exercise performance and functional capacity (endurance)The last 2 goals mirror an individual's overall physical fitness, a state characterised by good muscle strength combined with good endurance. The final goal of rehabilitation is to achieve (when possible) an optimal level of physical fitness by the end of the exercise therapy regimen, irrespective of the initial types of exercise required to remedy an injured persons specific condition. The content we will cover has been devised to ensure a quick return to fitness following the most common injuries and covers ankle, knee, hip, shoulder and back exercises.Preventing injuries at all costsMost sporting injuries occur to ligaments, tendons and muscles, with only about 5% of sports injuries involving broken bones. Most frequent sports injuries are sprains (injuries to ligaments) and strains (injuries to muscles) caused when an abnormal stress is placed on tendons, joints, bones and muscle. Ways to reduce injury:¥Wear the right equipment - Comfortable clothing and appropriate footwear;¥Increase flexibility - Stretching exercises before and after exercise; ¥Strengthen muscles – Adding resistance exercises to your workouts; ¥Use the correct technique- This should be reinforced during the initial stages; ¥Take breaks – Certain rest periods can reduce injuries and prevent heat illness;¥Stop your workout - If there is sharp pain or a pain that is getting worse with your activity.¥Avoid heat injury - By drinking plenty of fluids before, during and after exercise. Decrease or stop during high heat/humidity periods and prevent heat injury by wearing lighter clothing. Rehabilitation & FitnessEven though I was previously an exercise rehabilitation therapist who has worked alongside physiotherapists, it can never prepare you enough for rehabilitating yourself after an injury or operation. Having had a rest period of 3 months after my knee operation, it gave me enough time to work on my own program related to exercise therapy. This program gave me a platform to work from in order to put together a book which can be found here: http://www.lulu.com/shop/wayne-lambert/exercise-therapy-progressive-rehabilitation-exercises/paperback/product-6007996.htmlExercise therapy plays an important role in the rehabilitation of sports injuries and musculoskeletal problems. Although most exercise therapy rehabilitation takes place in the gym, home exercises are also vital to ensure the success of a rehabilitation program -also outdoor rehab is required if your sport is played outside. Engage with us on any of our platforms on LAMBERT Wellbeing, and we would really appreciate it if you could subscribe and hit the notification bell on our YouTube channel. Our website also has many resources to assist you on your wellness journey www.lambertwellbeing.com.