Injuries are an inevitable part of playing any sport. The nature of the common injuries varies depending on the type of sport, but the principles of treating them will be similar regardless of the injury type. Rehabilitation after a sports injury is vital if you want to get back to your optimal form and prevent any further injury. The goal of rehabilitation is the restoration of optimal form and function and is delivered by a physical therapist.
There are two types of sports injuries that affect the musculoskeletal system:
- macro traumatic injuries - an acute injury that is the result of a strong force such as a fall or a hit
- micro traumatic injuries - a chronic injury that is the result of overuse of a muscle, joining, or ligament
Both of these types of injuries can be treated by a physical therapist so that you can get back to form as quickly and safely as possible.
How physical therapy can help after a sports injury
The main purpose of physical therapy after a sports injury is to regain strength and function of the affected area and to get back to the previous level of functioning, or to an even higher level, without risk of causing further damage.
Physical therapy after a sports injury is a balancing act. Getting back to playing sport as soon as possible is important but this has to be balanced against the risk of making the injury worse. So rest and protection are also important elements of physical therapy for sports injuries.
There are four general stages to the physical therapy process. If at any one of these stages swelling and pain return, then the rehabilitation process goes back to Stage 1 and the cycle begins again.
Stage 1 - protection, mobilization, and walking
At this stage, the RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) process will be followed. Too much rest can make an injury worse, however, so some gentle mobilization is also important.
Stage 2 - open/closed kinetic chain exercises, propocieptive, running
Exercise is introduced here to regain the highest range of motion and to boost strength, flexibility, and coordination. It is important to train all areas of the body here, not just the injured area, and to make sure that cardiovascular fitness is maintained.
Stage 3 - sport-specific drills
At this stage, exercises that are specific to the sport can be reintroduced. These exercises will be functional in nature and will be specifically designed to regain optimal form.
Stage 4 - maintenance and prevention of reinjury
Learning how to prevent reinjury in the future is important. The affected area may be prone to reinjury for some time after the initial injury and any further damage to the area can make it less likely that optimal function will be regained as quickly.
Physical therapy is an important component of recovery after a sports injury. It can help to regain function in the affected area as well as a return to playing the sport, without risking making the injury worse. It can also help to prevent reinjury.