Sports Injuries
WHY PHYSICAL THERAPY IS IMPORTANT IN TREATING SPORTS INJURIES?
There is no doubt that playing any kind of sport, either professional or recreational, is beneficial to our health. Running, playing baseball, soccer, basketball, ice-skating, cycling, hiking, or even walking – all are great ways to get exercise. But the downside of being highly active is the possibility of trauma. We are not able to entirely avoid injuries, but if they do occur then, with the help of physical therapy professionals, the healing process can be accelerated, and returning to full activity in the shortest possible time can be ensured.
Moreover, studies show that after an initial injury, the chances of re-injuring the same area of the body are fairly high. Post-injury physical therapy can help to reduce that risk significantly as therapists thoroughly educate the patient on how to prevent it from happening again and fully prepare their body for future physical challenges.
BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL THERAPY
Although skipping physical therapy after sports trauma might be tempting, it can have lifelong consequences for the health and function of the body. It can lead to many problems: residual pain and stiffness, limited movement in the affected parts of the body, and prolonged pain. In many cases, professional rehabilitation may be crucial in returning to the pre-injury activity level. Physical therapy helps rebuild strength and movement, it can also help manage pain and prevent permanent damage and recurring problems as well as accelerate the recovery process.
HOW WE TREAT SPORTS INJURIES
After a detailed evaluation, you will receive a personalized exercise plan that addresses the specific condition of your injury and your pain level, giving you the best possible opportunity to heal in the shortest possible time. We use a variety of exercises and therapy techniques to manage pain, stimulate healing and restore normal function after an athletic injury:
- Tailored Therapeutic Exercise Plan that helps you to return to full strength and pain-free function.
- Manual Therapy – mobilization and manipulation techniques applied to a joint or soft tissue in a specific manner help restore full movement to a joint that is painful and restricted.
- Electrical Stimulation – can help strengthen and re-educate injured muscles while also improving circulation and decreasing the swelling in the injured area.
- Ultrasound – helps increase local blood flow, relax tissues, and facilitate the healing of injured tissue.
- Therapeutic cold laser – stimulates blood flow and cell metabolism; supports natural healing, and relieves pain.
- Kinesio Taping – reduces muscle exhaustion and soreness, alleviates pain, diminishes swelling, and improves lymphatic drainage and blood flow.
THE MOST COMMON INJURIES TREATED WITH
PHYSICAL THERAPY:
- ankle, knee, and wrist sprains
- back and hamstrings strain
- tennis elbow/golfers elbow
- torn ligaments (usually post-surgical treatment)
- groin muscle pulls
- shin splints
- neck and shoulder injury
REASONS FOR ATHLETIC INJURIES:
- Inadequate warm-up or stretching practices before a workout
- Improper or poor training practices
- Exercising when tired or in pain
- Not wearing properly fitted protective equipment
- Lack of proper footwear
- Not hydrating adequately
- Being in poor health condition – lack of health and wellness evaluation before starting activity
