Why it is Crucial to Visit a Prosthetist Before You Start Exercising Your Back

One of the most common pains in the world is back pain, and whether it’s caused by injuries or is chronic, resolving it is essential – especially if you want to start working your back out.

A lot of patients who are missing limbs have to work out regularly to ensure that their bodies are fine, and along with a brace, they might need some exercise. Aside from physical health, mental health is equally as important as most amputees face a lot of issues after their surgery. 

If you’re currently recovering from an injury or have any problem with your back, you might not be able to visit the gym before visiting a prosthetist. 

What Does a Prosthetist Do?

A prosthetist is a medical professional specializing in assisting and treating physical conditions, limitations, and capabilities of people who suffer from different illnesses, ailments, disabilities, or deformations.

They also work with people who have had limb amputations, and in that case, these medical professionals specialize in prescribing, designing, fitting, and monitoring braces and prostheses.
 
Prosthetists are different from orthotists in more ways than one. While they deal with similar things, orthotists deal with assisting existing limbs and bones, while prosthetists work with people who are missing limbs.

Why Do You Have to Visit One If You Want to Work Out? ​

Working out can put a lot of strain on your body. Too much pain can tarnish your health for a long time. If you suffer from any illness, deformity, or are missing a limb, you’ll have to discuss with your prosthetist before you get yourself to the gym.

These professionals aren’t only specialized in assessing, designing, and monitoring the prosthetic – they’re tasked with helping you accommodate your new prosthetic.

While a prosthetist will give you some ground rules, a personal trainer specializing in rehabilitation will devise a proper workout plan. 

You’re not here to get huge – you’re here to get better. Working out your back can help you if you have spine prosthetics. It’s essential to go slow and keep your weightlifting, especially back exercises, to a reasonable amount. ​

Why Back Exercising Specifically? ​

When you’re lifting weights to exercise your back, you might put yourself under unnatural amounts of pressure. Whether you have a back brace, or a prosthetic, or a missing limb, back exercise tends to put your whole body under strain.

Particularly, back exercises are out of the question for people who are missing limbs, and others may help people develop their backs without harming their spine or residual limbs. 

Back exercises, like any other exercise, have to be approved by your prosthetist beforehand. It’s by far the best way to make sure you’re as safe as possible in the gym, and that your physical therapy goes as smoothly as possible. 

Aside from these, the most common reason you have to visit a prosthetist is if you want to work on your back if you have spine prosthetics. Spines are among the most important things in our body, and damaging them could lead to severe consequences and even death.
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If you have spine prosthetics or discs and have to do back exercises, you’ll want to be as careful as possible, and that requires you to talk to your prosthetist.

What Might Be a Clear Sign You Need to Visit a Prosthetist ​

Whether you’re working out at the moment or are thinking about getting to the gym, there are a couple of telltale signs you need to visit a prosthetist right away, such as: ​

1. Residual Limb Pain or Back Pain

One of the things nobody tells you about being an amputee is residual limb pains. In the best-case scenario, you won’t experience any – but more often than not, that’s not the case. Your residual limb could hurt from a multitude of things such as:

• Bad prosthetic fitment
• Skin irritation and rashes
• Too much strain or pressure

If you have spine prosthetics, back pain could be very dangerous. If you are experiencing back pain in your spine prosthetics region, contact a medical professional immediately. ​

2. Residual Limb Bruising

If you love working out and you do it often, you can get a bit carried away. Certain exercises, especially back exercise, put a lot of pressure on your whole body, including your residual limb. That could lead to pain and bruising, which will ultimately do more harm than good.
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You need to keep your weight lifting to a healthy maximum – meaning you shouldn’t exceed any natural capabilities. You’re in the gym for recovery, not to hurt yourself even further. Lifting too much weight can also damage your prosthetics, which is a costly thing to do.

3. Your Prosthesis Doesn’t Fit!

If your prosthesis doesn’t fit, you’ll have to visit a prosthetist as fast as possible. Your brace might be deformed, or your residual limb might be swelling. You might require a residual limb shrinker and a chat with your prosthetist.

4. You Want To Try Something New

There are many different prostheses out there, and not all are designed to deal with the same things. If you want to partake in a new activity that might impact your prosthetic, limb protectors, or residual limb, you’ll want to give your prosthetist a visit.

Final Thoughts ​

One of the most important things you need to do if you have any prosthetic is to talk to your prosthetist about anything you need. A prosthetist will help you live with your prosthetic, get cosmetic solutions, and even assist you with any problems you might have regarding your prosthetic.
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If you want or have to start exercising your back, it’s crucial to give your prosthetist a visit, as he or she will provide you with a lot of information, guidance, and ground rules for the job. Remember, you’re here to improve your health!