How Physical Therapy Keeps Athletes in the Game
Sports physical therapy isn’t just for recovering from injuries. It is a way to keep athletes at their peak performance and prevent future injuries.
In live athletics, joints are pushed to the edge of their tissue’s strength. This is where injured tissues give out, tearing and ripping at their attachment to the joint.
Strengthening
Whether you’re a professional athlete or just trying to beat your 5K time, strength is key to your performance. Physical therapists will assess your movement patterns and determine areas of weakness that are contributing to injury. They will develop a targeted exercise program to improve those weaknesses so you can stay in the game.
When one area of the body hurts, your brain tries to compensate by placing more stress on other areas of the body to avoid overworking the injured area and risking further harm. This can overstress the weaker areas and cause further injuries without you even realizing it.
A physical therapist will help you learn to move your body properly to decrease the load on muscles, neck muscle pain, tendons and joints while also improving movement efficiency. This will reduce injury risk and enhance sports performance. In addition, a physical therapist will help you understand your body’s limits and learn to recognize when you have reached your limit so that you can avoid injury.
Flexibility
Just as you visit the dentist for regular checkups, visiting a physical therapist regularly can keep you in top shape to prevent injuries and improve your performance. A physical therapist understands the complex muscular system and can help you stretch to reduce the stress on your muscles while increasing their range of motion.
A PT can also train you in the techniques of proper movement to improve your overall athletic performance. This may include drills that enhance the body’s mobility to decrease muscle tension and joint stress, as well as exercises to improve posture and balance.
Flexibility exercises, including stretches that involve movement (active flexibility) and stretches that do not (passive flexibility), can dramatically reduce injury risk, increase your range of motion, and improve overall movement performance.
Physical therapists have an extensive understanding of how these types of flexibility exercises can help athletes at any level. In addition, PTs are familiar with the different types of stretching methods and when to perform them.
Cardio
Whether you’re lifting weights, kicking a field goal or running a 5K, your form matters. A physical therapist can help you improve your form so that you can perform at a higher level while also decreasing the risk of injury.
Endurance is important in any sport, and a physical therapist can help you develop endurance through conditioning exercises and other techniques. In addition, your therapist can offer nutritional advice that can help you maintain a healthy diet that supports your endurance goals.
Despite the best of efforts, athletes are prone to injuries that can keep them out of the game. Seeing a physical therapist following an injury can help you recover faster so that you can return to the sport you love with fewer limitations.
La Clinica S.C. can also assess your alignment and help you correct any compensation patterns that could lead to future injuries.
Injury Prevention
Whether you’re an elite athlete or a casual exerciser, injuries can be a huge impediment to reaching your fitness goals. Aches and pains are common, but the wrong type of injury can set you back weeks or even months.
From an overly flexible body that becomes easily injured to a lack of strength, there are a variety of factors that can lead to sport and fitness-related injuries.
A physical therapist can help you develop the right mix of exercises and treatments to strengthen your muscles without overstraining them. They can also assist with proper warm-up and cool down exercises and nutritional counseling, which is vital for maintaining a strong immune system.
A strong, healthy diet can also improve cardiovascular endurance and reduce muscle fatigue. Lastly, proper form is critical. Whether you’re lifting weights or kicking a field goal, good form can increase power, speed and endurance. A PT can assess your form and provide recommendations to improve it.
