Physical exercise is a key part in staying healthy, whether it is done on a treadmill at a gym or outside on a football pitch. It is important with any exercise to make sure you’re exercising safely to avoid any injury. A sporting injury can occur due to a variety of things which include not warming up, pushing yourself too hard, or suffering an accident. If exercising or sport is a big part of your life, recovery from an injury and returning to a normal function is paramount. 

This is where sports therapy comes in. A sports therapist aims to provide care for sport and recreational participants to help them recover as quickly and fully as possible. 

What is Sports Therapy?

Sports Therapy is an aspect of healthcare that is specifically concerned with the prevention of injury and the rehabilitation of the patient back to optimum levels of functional, occupational and sports specific fitness, regardless of age and ability.
It utilises the principles of sport and exercise science incorporating physiological and pathological processes to prepare the participant for training, competition and where applicable, work.

• Sports Therapists have the knowledge, skills and ability to: 
• Provide the immediate care of injuries 
• Assess, treat, rehabilitate and where and if appropriate, refer for specialist advice and intervention. 
• Provide appropriate soft tissue interventions in sport & exercise context 
• Plan and implement appropriate rehabilitation and return to training/work programmes. 
• Utilise sports and exercise principles to optimise performance, preparation and injury prevention programmes.

Top 5 Common injuries seen by a Sports Therapist? (examples of injuries included and lots more!) 

• Muscular Injuries (Strains OR Tears) – Hamstring, Calves, Quadriceps.
  Ankle & Foot Injuries – Ankle Sprains, Achilles tendinitis, Plantar fasciitis.
• Knee Injuries – Arthritis, ligament injuries, cartilage injuries, meniscal tears, Tendonitis.
• Back/Shoulder Injuries –  Muscle strain, prolapsed disc, sciatica, Rotator cuff, impingement syndrome. 
• Headache Treatments – Cervicogenic headaches, Temporomandibular joint disorder

What will happen when I see a Sports Therapist?

A sports therapist may use different approaches and techniques, the following is a general format of treatment. 

• Initial consultation 
• Assessment 
• Treatment 
• Rehabilitation 
• Prehabilitation

Sports Therapy Treatments

Sports therapy utilises a number of different techniques to help ease pain and encourage recovery. Specific treatments used will depend on the nature of your injury and own personal history, below are the following techniques commonly used by a sports therapist; 

• Massage 
• Mobiliation 
• Myofascial release 
• Electrotherapy 
• Hot/Cold treatments 

Remember no matter what your occupation is or your sporting ability, if your injury is sports/exercise related, a sports therapist can help! 

Please contact one of our clinics today if you would like to book in with one of our therapists for some help recovering form your injury.