I just finished four weeks of a work hardening program. It consisted of working with a personal trainer for four hours a day, five days a week for four weeks. Grueling to say the least. I started off unbalanced in my core strength and unable to do more than 3 push ups. My balance was way off and my strength was even worse.
The days consisted of warming up on the treadmill to get the blood flowing. Thirty minutes of stretching along with manipulation of my bad shoulder to loosen the muscles and increase the range of motion. We worked on core exercises that would balance the muscles in my body to better support the increasing weights that would be used over the 30 day period. I learned proper lifting techniques and stabilization of my body during exercises. Over the course of the program, weights were increased, reps and sets were increased. The only thing not increased was the rest in between sets, that was decreased to work on endurance and stamina.
You go home exhausted and very sore but over the 30 day rehab time, the soreness goes away and you find you have more energy. My range of motion improved, although nothing like it once was, and I’ve got my strength back. I feel more balanced and confident in my return to work. Believe me, you have your doubts as to whether you can even go back to being a Firefighter at the beginning. I no longer have those doubts and I can’t wait to get back to work.
