Physical Therapy for General Deconditioning

Don’t Let Deconditioning Get You Down

If you have ever taken a break from consistently exercising, suffered a prolonged illness or spent more time sitting than on your feet, you are probably familiar with how quickly your body loses strength and stamina. We call the changes in the body that often occur during a period of inactivity, generalized deconditioning. The word generalized implies that it affects many body systems rather than only one or two. The heart and circulatory system, lungs, muscles and bones adapt to physical stimuli. When you are more active these systems become more efficient and more fit. When you are less active the opposite occurs. Pretty cool right?

Generalized deconditioning can affect all of us to some degree, and how you correct it depends on the severity and cause. As you will see below, some types of deconditioning are easier to correct than others, and many people can benefit from the support of a healthcare professional like a physical therapist. Most people recognize physical therapists as healthcare providers that treat injuries and we certainly do that, but we also treat many other health conditions including generalized deconditioning. 

HOW TO RECOGNIZE GENERALIZED DECONDITIONING

Recognizing generalized deconditioning is the first step in correcting it. As we discussed above, anyone can experience deconditioning. The degree to which these symptoms impact daily life determines its severity. First, let’s review some signs and symptoms that might point to generalized deconditioning.

When you are active or exercising your body recognizes the need to support that activity level. It does this by strengthening your bones, growing stronger muscles, improving the efficiency of oxygen usage and exchange in the respiratory and circulatory systems, and improving the efficiency of your heart (among other things). If you have ever started a running program or a weight lifting routine, for example, you probably noticed these changes beginning to occur after 4-8 weeks of consistent training. Just as the body positively adapts to meet the demands of more activity it will also adapt to less activity. 

Those with generalized deconditioning will notice their muscles feel weaker. They do not have the stamina they had before and their heart rate will be higher and breathing more effortful at a lower intensity of activity. They may feel out of breath or need to take breaks more often. The speed at which they perform activities like walking, running or getting out of a chair decreases. Bone mineral density may decline. 

Now you may have read the last paragraph and pictured yourself resigned to a couch, unable to do much activity at all. That certainly can be the case, but you may be surprised to learn you have likely experienced some degree of generalized deconditioning already in your lifetime.

HOW SEVERE IS GENERALIZED DECONDITIONING?

Generalized deconditioning can be broken down into three different categories. 

Mild deconditioning refers to a decline in your ability to perform your typical levels of exercise like running, lifting weights or cycling. Almost everyone who engages in regular exercise experiences this type of deconditioning. Remember when you tried to start running or swimming laps again after taking a few months off? Despite the loss of strength, stamina or flexibility needed to excel at your sport, mild deconditioning rarely affects your ability to perform your day-to-day activities. 

Moderate levels of deconditioning start to affect day-to-day life. You may quickly notice that you need to take rest breaks while cleaning the house or use an electric scooter to do your grocery shopping. You need more help with daily tasks and have given up some altogether. You notice your heart rate is high and your breathing more labored with tasks that had seemed easy beforehand. 

When you reach severe deconditioning even basic activities like showering, dressing and sitting up in a chair may become very difficult or impossible. Muscles have atrophied, heart and lung function has declined and it takes a great deal of effort to complete simple tasks. 

As you might imagine, an athlete who stops training but continues to do their daily activities will likely only experience mild deconditioning. If that same athlete or someone who has not been exercising suddenly experiences an injury or illness that keeps them in bed or minimally active for a prolonged period of time, they can quickly progress to more severe forms of deconditioning. The worse the deconditioning gets, the more difficult it can be for someone to recover on their own which promotes more inactivity and worsening function. 

TIME TO CALL YOUR PHYSICAL THERAPIST

Most people know how to recover from mild deconditioning through exercise and fitness activities. They may benefit from working with a coach, trainer or PT to help them progress to their previous fitness level. Those with moderate or severe deconditioning often need professional help to recover. 

The goals of physical therapy for managing generalized deconditioning include some of the following. We help our clients restore normal strength, stamina and cardiorespiratory endurance. We help them maintain or improve flexibility and joint range of motion, restore balance and motor control. Finally, we restore their ability to perform daily tasks with greater independence. These tasks can be as simple as dressing oneself and taking a shower and as complex as attending a family or social event. 

Many who experience moderate or severe deconditioning are also dealing with other comorbidities like heart disease, osteoporosis, balance problems, neuropathy, cancer and so forth. These conditions likely contributed to the development of their deconditioning but can also present challenges during recovery. Not only are physical therapists trained in the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions and neuromuscular conditions but we are also trained to help patients regain fitness and function by safely managing the symptoms or implications of many chronic and acute diseases and injuries. Those with heart or lung disease, individuals undergoing cancer treatment, patients recovering from surgery, and many more conditions should feel confident that a physical therapist will understand their unique medical needs and create a rehabilitation program that is safe and effective. 

If you are experiencing the signs and symptoms of generalized deconditioning, now is the time to take action. Our team of physical therapists at Evolve can help you safely regain your independence and get back out into the world. Call our clinic today to set up an initial evaluation. 

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Brooklyn's Premier Holistic Physical Therapy Clinics- There’s physical therapy, there’s training, and then there’s EVOLVE. We use the science of biomechanics merged with fitness to help our patients get better and stay better!

First we evaluate, then we heal, then we strengthen our clients so they can reach their goals, feel better, and live happier lives. We do so by utilizing a range of core techniques and specialized treatments to reduce pain, improve mobility, enhance physical strength and deal with the underlying issues, not just the pain itself.

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