So, are you willing to take charge of your pain and reduce it to such an extent that you
can lead a normal life? Or do you want an orthopedic rehab centre to assist you in this
endeavour? There are a number of such units offering active rehabilitation programs for
chronic pain. The basic aim of these programs is to make you think positively so that
you actively and willingly participate in the exercises and other activities to improve
your back. However, pain relief programs are time-consuming, expensive and labor
intensive i.e. a lot of effort is required to change your mindset and get you to take charge
of your pain.
OK, so you want to enroll in an active rehabilitation program for pain relief. Usually,
this program is residential and you may be asked to stay in a rehabilitation unit or
hospital till the program is completed. The full active rehabilitation program is
conducted over a 4-week period.
Components of an active rehabilitation program
The main components of any active rehabilitation program are:
- Stretch exercises: To improve fitness and flexibility to build muscle
strength and to remedy specific postural problems. Exercises ideally begin at
a baseline around 80% of your current performance – by pre-treatment
assessment of:
i. Distance walked in 10 min
ii. Number of stairs climbed in 2 min
iii. Number of stand ups from a chair in 2 min
iv. Arms raised endurance test.
Exercises are gradually increased on a quota system. Positive feedback is
provided regularly to help improve performance. In addition, physiotherapy
and hydrotherapy (gentle exercises in water) form part of this treatment.- Goal setting on long and short term goals: You identify goals for work,
leisure and social pursuits, and domestic duties. Short term goals usually
include increased sitting, standing and walking tolerances. Baselines and rate
of increase are set as for exercises.