When Should You Do Range of Motion Exercises?

The most important thing about doing range of motion exercises are that a routine should be followed while doing them. Skipping days of exercise or even a few exercise sessions may reduce the joint ROM and you may have to start again.

There is no fixed timing of the day for when the ROM exercises should be done. For some people, mornings may be suitable. For some people, it could be in the evenings after work. However, sometimes physiotherapists prescribe shoulder and cervical (neck) ROM exercises that can be done at the desk or while taking work breaks. Furthermore, regardless of when the ROM exercises are performed, they must always be done gently and slowly. They must be started as small gradual movements and then increased, instead of a single jerky large movement.

Restrictions in the ROM for a joint can arise due to several soft tissues surrounding the joint. Research has shown that using hot packs or any form of heat, can relax these soft tissue structures and make them more distensible. Thus, it may be advisable to incorporate some form of heat into the exercise regime prior to ROM exercises. 

Along with ROM exercises, it is important to do some strength training as well. Improving the range of a joint without improving the strength of the muscle to adapt to this new range may be injurious.

 

Read More on Range of Motion Exercises:

1. How Often Should You Do Range of Motion Exercises?

2. Who Should Do Range of Motion Exercises? 

3. When Should You Do Range of Motion Exercises?