What can movement do for you?

As a physical therapy clinic in Champaign, Illinois, we love to move! Movement can do so much for you! It can help you to relieve and prevent pain, feel energized, and so much more!

The staff at Mettler Center have chosen their favorite rehab exercise and their reason behind it!

Check out the exercises and stretches below!

“To relieve tension from work.”

—Dr. Peggy Hau

“This is a great exercise to help strengthen the lateral hip and abdominal muscles. There are many difficulty levels so it is appropriate for a lot of people. And you get some “free” shoulder exercise.”

—Dr. Matthew Gordon

“Hands down! As a pelvic health therapist, I’ve learned the value of true core strengthening, which involves the transverse abdominis along the internal/external obliques, rectus abdominis, multifidus, and pelvic floor muscles. This combination of muscle contractions will provide core stability that will allow the patient to tolerate their functional movements, progress appropriately to advanced core strengthening exercises, and achieve significant symptom relief (i.e. pelvic girdle pain).”

—Dr. Jasmine Evans

“For hip and core strength.”

—Dr. Nikki Marini

“PRI wall supported reach for lumbopelvic repositioning because it is a great tool patients can use to relieve back and hip discomfort without manual therapy. It gives patients some control over their symptom management.”

—Dr. Deanna Moccia

“So much of what we do every day involves or should involve this movement—sit to stand or stand to sit, getting in and out of the car; and picking up objects. This motion is easily modified to fit any person’s level of ability and function and should be a staple to all rehab programs.

Some easy ways to modify it would include changing the dept of the squat, changing the width of your legs, changing the speed you do the motion, and adding upper body and trunk movement.

To really challenge yourself, try doing it on one leg once you have mastered the two-leg version.”

—Dr. Jeff Schroder

“This exercise engages so many muscles at once. All of the muscle groups it affects are gluteus maximum, hamstrings, erector spinae, rectus abdominis, and obliques. It also challenges your balance!”

—Dr. Kimberly Painter