Sports Rehab – A Multidisciplinary Approach
Whether you are a professional athlete or just enjoy playing sports in your spare time, there is nothing worse than suffering an injury. Sports injuries can range from minor bruising and sprains to fractures, herniated discs and even concussions. Fortunately, with the help of an experienced physical therapist and a good home exercise program, many sports injuries can be treated quickly and effectively.
Sports rehabilitation is a highly specialised field of physical therapy that focuses on treating injuries sustained during sport participation. It can be a multidisciplinary approach that involves a team of highly trained professionals which may include physical therapists, athletic trainers and chiropractors. The primary goal of sports rehab is to return the injured patient to their previous level of pain-free functional mobility.
This involves a variety of treatments including exercises, stretches and manual therapy techniques to improve muscle strength, flexibility and joint mobility. These treatments can also be used to prevent future injuries by improving the body’s overall coordination and balance.
The first phase of sports rehab is aimed at controlling the injury’s acute symptoms such as inflammation and pain. This can be achieved through RICE treatment (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation) along with other modalities such as electrical stimulation or ultrasound. The physical therapist will then guide you through a series of exercises designed to strengthen the affected muscles, reestablish muscle length, increase joint mobility and decrease the severity of any pain or inflammation that may be present.