One of the biggest fears of many athletes is having a sports injury that would cause them to miss their favorite games or, even worse, have to give up on sports altogether. However, sports injuries do not have to take away the things you love from you. With the right physical therapy focused on sport-related issues, you should be able to prevent serious injuries and bounce right back, even if you do get an injury.
Sports physical therapy is where sports medicine and physical therapy meet to help athletes enjoy their careers without setbacks from sport-related injuries. These physical therapists are trained to deal with the intricacies and peculiarities of injuries from sports and exercise. While physical therapy can be beneficial to people of all ages and various conditions, sports physical therapy focuses more on people active in sport.
So, if you are an athlete, looking to get into sports for the first time, or need help bouncing back after a sports-related injury, it is advisable to have a sports physical therapist in your corner.
First Appointment With Your Sports Physical Therapy: Assessment
When you visit a sports physical therapist for the first time, they will carry out an extensive examination of your body and a general assessment of your joints and muscles mobility. If you have no injury, they would request your athletic goals and identify possible improvements in your joint mobility that could help you achieve your goals without sustaining injuries. If you have an injury already, your physical therapist will examine the site of injury, trace the root of the pain and give you a diagnosis before designing a personalized treatment plan.
Prevention of Sport Injuries
The best time to have the first appointment with your sports physical therapist is before getting an injury. Following a thorough evaluation and assessment, your physical therapist can identify weaknesses in your joints or muscles that may predispose you to an injury and design a plan to strengthen those areas. Also, they can design a set of customized warm-up and cool-down exercises for you to integrate into your workout routine.
These exercises will improve flexibility, build strength, and prevent injuries while you exercise. Also, if you have been receiving therapy before an injury, you are more likely to recover faster and better than if you had not received therapy.
Recovery from Sport Injuries
You can sustain many kinds of injuries as an athlete while playing sports. Some of the common sports-related injuries include muscle strains, ligament sprains, concussions, and arthritis aggravations.
If you sustain any of these injuries, among others, during sports, your sports physical therapist will be one of the sports medicine experts on your team to help you recover faster. Depending on the type of injury sustained, physical therapy techniques may include soft tissue massage, stretching and mobility techniques, strength training exercises, and exercises to improve your balance. Your sports physical therapist will work with other members of your medical team to help you bounce back after an injury and get back to doing what you love as a stronger and better athlete.
Do you need a sports physical therapist in Grand Rapids, MI? You can book an appointment with Dr. Eric Broadworth at Fuel Physical Therapy for a personalized physical therapy plan.