How Physical Therapy Can Help You Recover From a Sports Injury

How Physical Therapy Can Help You Recover From a Sports Injury

Last year a total of 3.2 million people were treated in emergency departments for injuries involving sports and recreational activities—and the activities most frequently associated with those injuries were cycling, exercise and basketball. There’s almost nothing more frustrating than injuring yourself while playing your favorite sport. Thankfully, when you suffer an injury, there are options available at Pro Staff Physical Therapy to assist in your recovery process. Using interventions such as exercise and manual therapy, you can recover faster and regain optimal function. However, if you aren’t sure what physical therapy is or whether it is right for you, read for more details.

What are the Most Common Sports Injuries?

When it comes to sports injuries, many different types can affect various body areas. Here are some of the most common injuries sustained by athletes.

• Sprains and strains are common sports injuries when ligaments and muscles or tendons are overstretched or injured. Sprains can be more serious than strains because they involve a stretch or tear of a ligament supporting a joint, which can put you out of the game for months.
• Overuse injuries are caused by repetitive motions that exceed your body’s ability to heal. These injuries happen from repeating the same motion numerous times in one day or many days in a row without a break. Pitchers in age group baseball are an example of an athlete at risk of overuse injury to elbow or shoulder.
• Stress fractures are tiny cracks in a bone that can occur when you increase your activity level too quickly or don’t give your body enough time to adjust.
• Shin splints are one of the most common injuries in runners and athletes who jump.
• Concussions are serious injuries that can happen when you’re hit in the head or from sudden stops while playing sports.

Pro Staff Physical Therapy offers customized physical therapy treatment programs to restore your injured or recovering body part safely and quickly. Our professionals are highly passionate about helping you recover faster and more effectively.

How can Physical Therapy Help You Recover from a Sports Injury?

Physical therapy helps patients achieve optimal health, activity, or both generally through a combination of therapeutic exercise and hands on manual therapy. In other words, Physical Therapists (PTs) use various interventions to help you recover from an injury faster.
PTs can treat various sports injuries, such as sprains, strains, or shin splints. In addition, they may also be able to treat more severe injuries, like concussions. They use a combination of different interventions in the categories of therapeutic exercises and manual therapy. Modalities, and in some cases, joint mobilization are used to help decrease injury related pain and stiffness. Exercises are a vital part of any physical therapy treatment plan, and PTs use a wide variety of exercises in their practice. Manual therapy, such as massage, joint mobilization, and soft tissue techniques, are also commonly used, including for more severe sports injuries.

What are the Main Treatments for Sports Injuries?

Treatment for sports injuries varies widely, depending on the nature and severity of the injury. Injured athletes will benefit from interventions a PT can provide. Especially in the case of severe injuries that require surgery, PT interventions are needed to maximize recovery while minimizing the risk of reinjury.

• Exercise is an important part of any sports injury treatment plan. In fact, a PT guided progressive exercise plan is a primary treatment for sports injuries. When recovering from an injury, exercise will help you regain your strength and level of fitness while keeping you mentally positive and hopeful.
• Manual therapy can be extremely useful when treating sports injuries. Manual therapy is physical therapy intervention that involves using the hands to diagnose and treat patients’ musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, and/or soft tissue dysfunction.
• Non-invasive treatments are administered by a physical therapist in their office. They often help manage pain and/or increase blood flow to an injured area. Non-invasive modalities include ultrasound, electrical stimulation, and ice/heat packs.
• Resting with a cast, splint, sling, or other medical device helps the healing process. Physicians working in collaboration with PT may provide injections or provide anti-inflammatory prescriptions to reduce swelling and pain. Prescription anti-inflammatory medications and rest are initial steps in treating sprains and strains.
• Post-Surgery physical therapy is necessary after severe injuries that required surgery interventions. Tendons, ligaments, joints, and bones all may be injured to the extent surgical correction and post-surgery physical therapy is required.

Our physical therapists are extremely passionate about helping you recover faster and more effectively, giving you the best chance at your best game again.

When to See a Physical Therapist for Sports Injuries?

If you are injured while playing sports and want to recover as quickly as possible, a physical therapist is an excellent resource to help you achieve this goal. Many athletes who sustain an injury visit a physical therapist to receive treatment, even if it isn’t a serious or long-lasting injury. Many athletes are under a lot of pressure to get back on the field as soon as possible. Opting for physical therapy to cut down on the amount of time it takes to recover from an injury. If you suffer from a sports injury, you should visit a physical therapist for a detailed evaluation. During this visit, your physical therapist will assess your injury and create an individualized treatment plan.

What are the Benefits of Physical Therapy for Sports Injuries?

There are many benefits associated with physical therapy treatment for sports injuries. Some of the most important benefits include helping you regain mobility, movement, and strength more quickly while also helping you avoid re-injury. Physical therapy is also a great option if you want to decrease the need for surgery, take a “proactive” approach to your recovery, or try something new and/or different before settling on a more invasive treatment option, like surgery.

Furthermore, physical therapy can help you perform better and avoid re-injuring yourself if you are a high-level or a weekend athlete with a sports injury. This is because therapists can assist you in achieving your optimal functional performance while also helping you avoid reinjuring yourself.

Why Choose Pro Staff for Physical Therapy for Sports Injuries?

Pro Staff Physical Therapy provides the most advanced sports physical therapy techniques for treating high-impact sporting injuries. Patients are carefully evaluated, and treatment plans are developed that best fit their needs. This can include specific exercises, therapy modalities, and manual therapy methods to decrease the risk of a recurrence, enhance recovery, and help patients return to their normal activities as soon as possible. Book your appointment for the best physical therapy treatment plan for sports injuries today!

Pro Staff Institute, LLC, has a network of outpatient physical rehabilitation centers in New Jersey. Pro Staff was founded in 2010 by Frank Pavlisko and Michael Maffucci. Through Frank’s 25 plus years experience in Physical Therapy and Michael’s experience in Management Services, our goal is to exceed customer expectations by providing the highest quality of service in a fun, family, friendly, and encouraging environment.