Improving my quality of life…today (part 2)

Setting out to protect and improve my future quality of life, I initially underwent a professional Kieser Training musculoskeletal evaluation with a physiotherapist in the hope of playing competition tennis and enjoying backyard sports with my son, pain free.

Together with an untreated back injury incurred years ago, and the scientific fact that after turning 35 years of age my body had officially entered the cycle of losing half a kilo of muscle mass and bone tissue every year – causing my metabolism to slow and decreasing my motivation to exercise and play sport. In short, I had become unfit and accumulated body fat. “Wow, these facts may explain why my examination results proved that my range of motion and back mobility was well below average for my age.”

Kieser Training to the rescue
My first 6 x 30 minute sessions (complete with personal and qualified therapists) were informative, engaging and fun. Kieser Training isn’t the strenuous work out I had anticipated, the medical strengthening therapy machines provide effective training using variable resistance that corresponds to my respective muscle’s strength curve.

By targeting specific muscles, machines can exercise muscles through their entire physical range of motion. My targeted muscles were isolated almost 100% and although at times I looked for ways to cheat, no other muscles could intervene to help me. The machines were adjusted to suit my body and once belted in and the weights tightly locked, I was on my own, targeting specific muscles that required work and restoration. If I over compensated, sat incorrectly, tried to impress myself with extra repetitions or attempted to beat the clock by rushing, I was reminded to, “slow down, keep breathing and remember to smile.”

The exercise machines and programs were professionally tailored by Kieser’s trained specialists to strengthen my back and the machines were as much fun to set up as they are to use. An explanation of each machine and the location of the soon to be worked muscles were always provided. By using the machines correctly I would be more likely to strengthen the ratios of the main muscles effectively. My instructors regularly modified my programs, slightly increasing the weights and range and motion so that my muscles strengthened and remained in balance.

By using Kieser’s medically designed therapy machines – Abductor, Leg Extension, Seated Leg Curl, Pullover, Rowing Torso, Chest Press and Abdomina– I was able to target and strengthen the following muscles:

• Middle and smaller gluteal
• Thigh quadriceps
• Bicep and semitendinous
• Latissimis dorsi
• Deltoid, teres major, rhomboid, trapezius
• Deltoid (front), triceps of arms, greater pectorials
• Straight abdomen muscle

Following my sixth session, I returned to the physiotherapy department for a midway progress examination. The computerised musculoskeletal therapy machine revealed my back strength was still below desired average but had significantly strengthened my lumbar extensor muscles, providing a greater range of movement (ROM) in my lower back. With an additional six sessions of therapy, my Kieser physiotherapist, Paul, was confident I would achieve an above average strength level and would be on my way to comfortably play tennis again, pain free.