Have you ever wanted to improve your patients strength, but weren't sure about the best way to go about it? What exercises should you use? How many sets, reps and sessions per week should you ask your patients to complete? Strength levels often start to decline with pain or after an injury, from neuromuscular inhibition, swelling, inflammation or joint laxity (Hopkins & Ingersoll, 2000; Rice & McNair, 2010). Unfortunately strength doesn't always return as quickly as it disappears, and neuromuscular inhibition can carry on (Roy et al, 2017).

In this podcast with Dr Claire Minshull, we dive into the role of strength and conditioning in rehab, and explore:

Why building strength is an important part of rehab
How can you build strength effectively and efficiently?
Do 8-12 rep sets or 3-5 rep sets build greater strength?
How many sets of an exercise should your patient perform?
How frequently do patients need to perform their exercises?
Is maximal loading necessary in rehab?
Which patients should use lower load exercises?
Will strength training make endurance athletes slow and muscular, or improve running economy?
"Functional exercises" vs strength exercises
When should exercises target strength, and when can you use "functional exercises"?
What is power training, and what exercises help to develop power?
When should power training be used?
What lifting cues can you use with beginning lifters e.g. in deadlifts?
Patients with knee osteoarthritis:
- What is an effective exercise strategy for patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA)?
- What important factors do you need to incorporate in your pain education?
- How can you start a strengthening program?
- What exercises can you use?
- What pain levels are acceptable during exercise?
- How can you know if your exercises are appropriate for each patient?
- What braces or supports can you use to make unicompartmental knee OA more comfortable and able to exercise?

Dr Claire Minshull also presented two online courses for Clinical Edge members to further develop your strength & conditioning skills and confidence. You can get access to these online courses with your free trial membership.

What is in Dr Claire Minshull's webinar?

How to incorporate strength development in your rehab programs
How to progress strength in rehab
Exercise progressions and regressions to maintain a strength focus
Case study examples taking you through how to apply S&C principles with your patients

Links associated with this episode:

Articles associated with this episode:

094. Strength training treating knee osteoarthritis with Dr Claire Minshull

Physio Edge podcast with David Pope

094. Strength training treating knee osteoarthritis with Dr Claire Minshull