We incorporate functional exercises into many of our exercise prescriptions due to our growing understanding of the associated neuroplastic changes that can occur in the cortex. Kleim et al. explain: “motor learning-dependent changes in movement representations have been demonstrated in human, monkey and rodent motor cortex. The reorganisation is characterised by both an areal expansion and an increase in the number of representations corresponding to trained movements. The changes are also learning specific.”
Kleim J a, Hogg TM, VandenBerg PM, Cooper NR, Bruneau R, Remple M. Cortical synaptogenesis and motor map reorganization occur during late, but not early, phase of motor skill learning. J Neurosci. 2004;24(3):628-633.
Find out more in our new module – Intermediate exercises for the scapula