Athletes and people of all levels of sport and activity experience injuries. Some injuries are mild and quick to recover from, while others are more serious and take longer to heal. One of the most effective ways to shorten recovery time from an injury is through dedicated and consistent commitment to the rehabilitation program prescribed by the athlete’s physical therapist or athletic trainer.
One of the most important things to remember when dealing with an injury is that rest is an absolute must. It may be difficult for athletes and fitness enthusiasts to accept, but the body must give injured tissues a break from stress in order to begin healing. It is also important for these injured tissues to be challenged elsewhere in the body so that they do not become stagnant and weakened. This is often the cause of many re-injuries and chronic injury.
Injuries are most likely to occur when the body is being put through excessive or repetitive stress. This can happen when an individual is not warming up properly before exercising, overworking muscles and joints that are not ready for the challenge, or simply trying to achieve too much too fast.
Injury rehab physical training involves a series of exercises that are designed to restore movement, reduce pain and inflammation, build strength, and return the injury to normal function. The first step in this process is to control the injury, and this typically includes RICE (rest, ice, compression, and elevation) followed by therapeutic massage from a licensed therapist.
Once the initial pain and swelling have subsided, the next phase of injury rehab begins with soft tissue mobilization and stretching exercises geared towards the specific injury. This is often accompanied by additional therapeutic techniques such as trigger point sports massage, electrical stimulation and ultrasound. As the injury heals, the physiotherapist will then progress to endurance and light strength training. This is done with exercises such as stationary cycling and pool based activities.
When the injured body part is at a reasonable level of functionality, our therapists will incorporate coordination and balance training. The goal is to improve the body’s proprioception (the ability to sense the location and movement of the body in space without looking). This can be done with simple equipment such as a wobble board or balance discs.
The final phase of injury rehab implements exercise, skills, and drills similar to those used in the athlete’s desired sport. This is often done after the physiotherapist is confident that the injury is fully healed and the athlete has developed enough strength to tolerate the more advanced exercises without risking another injury.
Injuries are common in sport, but the recovery from injury is not. Proper treatment and rehabilitation can significantly shorten the length of time an athlete spends on the sidelines, and is the most effective way to prevent re-injuries and prevent chronic injuries from developing. If you are interested in learning more about injury rehab physical training, contact us today to book an appointment with one of our experts.