Physiotherapists offer essential services to amateur and professional athletes in all sports and age groups. These ancillary medical service providers may help with care of injuries, return to the sport, prevention of injuries and education about sports-related medical issues. Keep these five services in mind when considering who to work with if you experience a sports injury or want to prevent one.
1. Acute Care After an Injury
A physiotherapist may be a part of your care team after you experience an acute injury. This professional might work with you after an injury such as a ligament tear, sprain or strain. You may also work with the physiotherapist after dislocating or fracturing a joint or bone. Physiotherapists also assist in the diagnosis of sports-related injuries.
2. Treatment for Healing
Physiotherapists offer tips on healing after an injury. They may guide you through gentle stretches to keep your soft tissues flexible. They may also show you how to reduce pain or avoid worsening your pain after an acute injury. Physiotherapists may show you how to do some exercises at home between visits to the doctor’s office.
3. Return to Sports After Injuries or Surgery
Another important aspect of physiotherapy care is helping you get back to sports after an injury or surgery. Returning to the sport too quickly could result in an exacerbation of your injury. You could also develop a new injury if your soft tissues are not yet strong enough. The physiotherapist will assess your strength and condition as you heal. The specialist may make recommendations on what activities you can do and how long you can do them without risking further pain or injury. The physiotherapist may also explain what to do before and after an exercise session.
4. Prevention of Sports Injuries
Physiotherapists offer guidance on how to prevent many sports injuries. They may show you how to identify areas of your body that are off-balance or not as strong. A movement assessment performed by a physiotherapist may help you change your form or technique, which could lessen your risk of becoming injured while playing sports. For more information, visit the Dr Keogh website.
5. Education About Proper Form for Sports
A physiotherapy professional may meet with sports teams or coaches and offer education about proper form, training and injury prevention. These sessions could be combined with practices. The physiotherapist would watch the training activities and offer suggestions for changes or improvements for strengthening soft tissues and reducing injury risks of individual athletes. Physiotherapists also offer tips to individual athletes and entire teams about the management of common injuries. This could reduce player downtime.
