Injury prevention is an essential part of any physical activity. It is more critical for athletes and sportspersons. There is always a risk of sports-related injuries during sports. So, injury prevention is paramount for health and players’ tough schedules. Injury could disturb the schedule and prevent them from getting into important games.
Sports Physiotherapists are vital today in helping athletes recover quickly. They are sometimes present on the playing field and instantly address the problem. These trained therapists play a crucial role in injury prevention programs with their effective exercise plans.
This blog post will briefly explain the role of physiotherapists in injury prevention programs.
Understanding sports injuries
Sports injury is a broad term with no hard and fast definition. We mostly use it to refer to injuries that commonly happen during sports. In most cases, the culprits behind sports injuries are either the overuse of a body part or exerting force on the body part more than it can bear.
Bruises, sprains, strains, joint injuries, and nose bleeds are some of the most common injuries. But let’s first look at the most commonly injured body parts.
Most common types of sports injuries
- Ankle Sprain—It happens when you twist or turn your ankle in an awkward way. You may experience swelling, stiffness, and pain. It can also hurt the tissues that hold your ankle bone together.
- Bruise—A blow that causes bleeding from the skin. An object or a person hits the body from outside, breaking small blood vessels. This causes their contents to leak into the soft tissue beneath the skin. Pain, swelling, and skin discoloration are the symptoms.
- Concussion—This is a type of brain injury. A bump, blow, or jolt makes the head and brain move back and forth. Symptoms are headache, dizziness, and loss of consciousness.
- Cuts & Abrasions—Cuts are the wounds in your skin, also known as incisions. Abrasion is a superficial rub or wearing off the skin. Both of them require first aid treatment. Usually, players get cuts and abrasions when they fall during sports. The knees and hands are the most prone body parts.
- Dental Damage—Any blow to the jaw can crack, break or dislodge teeth. It is also a common sports injury.
- Groin Strain—Sometimes referred to as groin pull, it happens when one of the muscles in the inner thighs gets stretched, injured, or even torn. Symptoms are pain and swelling, and conditions can be mild or severe.
- Hamstring Strain—Hamstring strain can cause swelling, bruising, and pain. You may already know it as a hamstring pull. It happens when one or more of the hamstring muscles are stretched for so long that it starts to tear. Sometimes, a sports physiotherapist can address it and shorten recovery time, but sometimes, you may need surgery.
- Knee Joint Injuries—They may affect ligaments, tendons, or cartilage. Symptoms are pain, swelling and stiffness.
- Nose Injuries—A direct blow can cause a broken or bleeding nose.
- Stress Fractures—These are the cracking of bone that could result from sudden force or hit. Sometimes, repeated jumping or running on hard surfaces also results in fractures.
- Dislocation—The end of a bone moves out of its normal position in a joint. One example is a shoulder popping out of its socket.
Find the best Nottingham Physiotherapy or wherever you live if you are experiencing any of these.
Common reasons behind sports injuries
Here are some of the most common reasons:
- Not warming up or stretching enough before the sports.
- Falling during the game.
- Lack of safety equipment
- Wearing the safety equipment the wrong way
- Poor fitness condition
- Improper training practices
- Improper shoes
Proactive measures to prevent sports injuries
- Remember to drink water. Staying hydrated is vital to prevent dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke.
- Stretching exercises also help reduce the risk of injury. They improve the ability of muscles to contract and perform.
- Appropriate equipment of gear and wear shoes also help prevent injury. They offer support and help avoid specific foot problems.
- Make sure you learn and adopt the proper techniques to play your sport.
- If you are too tired, avoid physical activity. Your body needs rest, so make sure you provide ample rest.
- Incorporate cool-down and warmups properly in your exercise. Cool-down time should be two minutes more than warm-up time.
Role of sports physiotherapists
Sports Physiotherapists can help prevent brain injury in many ways. They provide you with a fitness plan that minimises the chances of injury. Their plans include cardiovascular exercise, strength training, and flexibility. A qualified therapist will also help you learn better and safer techniques for playing your sports.
Their sole focus is treating and preventing injuries that result from sports and exercise for individuals of all age groups. This could be a complete rehabilitation programme or a minor muscle recovery plan. You can get evidence-based advice on safe exercise and sports participation. Their advice and plans are straightforward to include in your routine and enable the prevention of any future sports-related injuries.
Sports physiotherapists are advocates of an active lifestyle where everyone enjoys the peak of their health and performance. In case of injury, they will help you minimise recovery time, no matter what age group and sports you belong to or your fitness level.
Some injuries may happen despite all precautions. They will strive to ensure that injuries do not get complicated. They help athletes recover from sprains, dislocations, tears, and strained ligaments. Get the best therapy to improve your body’s ability to cope with the high physical demands of these sports.
Depending on the circumstances, a sports physiotherapist can wear several hats. They can serve as a personal advisor or manager of a client or patient. They may also act as innovators and be involved in research and development. If you are a sportsperson, get the best Physiotherapy in Nottingham.
Conclusion
Injuries are unavoidable in sports. However, the expertise of a well-trained physiotherapist can help prevent injuries and rehabilitate quickly if you eventually get injured. Sports physiotherapists can help you in many ways before and after injury.
If you are looking for a Sports physiotherapist in Nottingham, MyPhysioGym is one of the best options. Call today to start your wellness journey.