The Secret Behind Rehabilitation: Mechanotherapy

Everyone has had injuries and in many cases the body can heal itself without problems.

Unfortunately, there are many cases that natural healing is insufficient. Injury may lead to pain, weakness and/or compensatory movements which can lead to more injuries. 

How can we help the healing process?

Mechanotherapy.

This term refers to the use of “therapeutic exercise prescribed to promote repair or remodeling of injured tissue.” Tissues involved may be tendon, muscle, cartilage and/or bone. The remodeling occurs through mechanotransduction. This is the process in which mechanical loading begins cellular responses to create structural change (Khan 2009).

Healing essentially is just strengthening damaged tissues so that they can regain their previous state of resilience.

Passive treatments may have their place to reduce pain however a good rehab program should load the injured tissue in some capacity.

Of all the modalities that a rehabilitation specialist can provide, the one with the most consistent evidence supporting it is therapeutic exercise.

Reference:
Khan, K. M., & Scott, A. (2009). Mechanotherapy: how physical therapists’ prescription of exercise promotes tissue repair. British journal of sports medicine, 43(4), 247-252.