5 Ways to Prevent an Injury by Means of Sports Therapy
A lot of people who engage in sports or regular exercise believe that sports therapy is necessitated only after an injury has been incurred in order to speed up the recovery process and also for managing pain. However, sports therapy is also something that can be very helpful in keeping an injury from striking in the first place.
Contrary to popular belief, sports physical therapy is not only intended for seasoned athletes. If you love to casually engage in a certain type of sport, you can also benefit from sports therapy. If you regularly engage in your favorite exercise, be it jogging, swimming or pumping iron, sports therapy can be of great advantage to you as well.
So whether you are planning on becoming a popular athlete or you want to be spotted with an athletic physique, continue reading. You will learn how you can take advantage of sports therapy in saving yourself from an injury.
Musculoskeletal injuries – these are the kinds of injuries that athletes and also those who engage in exercise are at risk of having. By definition, they involve injuries to the muscles and bones, and also tissues such as cartilages, ligaments and tendons, and they can strike because of trauma or overuse or abuse of certain parts of the body.
Certainly, a physical injury is something so detrimental for people who rely heavily on their bodies, and they are those who participate in sports and various types of workouts. Especially for athletes who have their eyes on the prize, incurring an injury can keep them from turning their dreams into reality. At times it can also instantly shatter their careers.
Some of the most common types of musculoskeletal injuries out there that can happen to an individual who is into sports or serious exercising are the following:
- Strain: It happens when the muscle or tendon (a cord of fibrous tissue that attaches a muscle to a bone) becomes stretched or torn due to excessive pressure on the affected area.
- Sprain: An injury that involves the ligaments that support the bones in a joint is called a sprain. Commonly, this happens when a joint is used beyond its normal range of motion.
- Shin splint: The large bone that is found in the front part of the lower leg is called the tibia or shin bone. It can get injured and cause a person to experience a great deal of pain if the muscles supporting it are weak.
- Knee injury: It is said that the most common physical injury around is something that involves the knee. Across the planet, up to 5.5 million seek the help of orthopedic surgeons for various knee injuries.
- Overuse: Just like what the name says, this type of injury is often the result of excessive use of the affected body part, and it also usually involves training errors and poor techniques.
When an injury happens, sports therapy can be utilized for managing pain and inflammation, and also speeding up the recovery process. Whether the musculoskeletal injury is something that can be managed non-surgically or by undergoing the knife, the knowledge and skills of a sports therapist can be advantageous for the injured person.
However, sports therapy can come in handy not only after an injury has been sustained, but also before it is sustained. So in other words, it is something that can help keep an athlete or exercise buff from ending up injured. Sports therapy, as you will learn in just a few, can serve as an effective and valuable preventive measure.
The injury incurred by a person can vary in location, nature and severity. It all depends on a number of factors, and some of the ones included are the type of sport being played or the form of exercise being performed, and the level of physical fitness of the individual. Age, genetics and gender are said to be role players, too.
Regarded as contributors, too, are errors committed by a person during training or competing, or while engaging in exercise. One good example would be a sudden increase in the duration, intensity and frequency of an activity, as opposed to a more gradual approach that can help save the muscles, joints and tissues from stress.
Whether you are an athlete or a serious exercise aficionado, you can steer clear of ending up with a musculoskeletal injury in 5 different ways by means of sports therapy:
- It strengthens your muscles: A sports therapist can provide you with exercises that mimic the various movements you carry out while playing your chosen sport or doing your preferred exercise routine. Through such, the muscles commonly employed can be strengthened, making them less likely to end up injured.
- It improves joint flexibility: Earlier when some of the most common musculoskeletal injuries were being discussed, using the joint beyond its normal range of motion can result in a sprain. With the help of a sports therapist, the range of motion of your joints can be progressively improved.
- It lets you identify weaknesses or errors: Employing the wrong techniques when engaging in sports or exercises can considerably increase your risk of incurring an injury. An experienced sports therapist can help you identify your weaknesses, thus enabling you to make the necessary adjustments.
- It takes into account old injuries: A previous injury, whether completely or partially healed, can be the cause of an injury, and it’s exactly for this reason why a sports therapist also includes such in planning and implementing treatment or training programs that are tailor-made for your particular needs.
- It evaluates the gears you use: Sports therapy also entails the inspection of the various gears you use such as shoes, knee pads, wrist supports, belts, helmets and others necessary for your kind of sport or exercise regimen. A sports therapist can recommend the ones that are more appropriate for you.
Clearly, sports therapy is something that not only comes very importantly when there is an injury, but also in keeping one from happening. Whether you are an athlete or someone who regularly engages in exercise and you do not want to get sidetracked by a musculoskeletal injury, you can benefit from seeking a sports therapist’s help.
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