Being a professional athlete might seem like a fun job, but it can get dangerous. It's one of the five occupations with over 1,000 injuries per 10,000 people. In sports, the actual number exceeds 2,000.
Athletes are vulnerable to injuries
every time they train, practice, and play in a match. Some of the injuries they
sustain aren't light, either. They can be disabling, while rare instances can
lead to death.
This part is where sports therapy
comes in. What is sports therapy, and how can it benefit athletes? Learn more
below.
What
is Sports Therapy?
Sports therapy is a specialized area
of physical therapy that helps athletes prevent, heal, or manage injuries. It
deals with accidents, rehabilitation care, and preventive exercises.
By doing sports, athletes are more
prone to accidents that can cause them bodily injury. Some of the most common ones include:
- Broken bones
- Dislocations
- Achilles tendon injuries
- Runner's knee
- Rotator cuff injuries
The goal of sports therapy is to
prevent these from happening or to help patients heal these injuries. As much
as possible, the athlete has to go back to top condition to play again.
Benefits
of Sports Therapy
Now you know more about sports
therapy, let's get down to the benefits. Here are some ways it can help.
Prevent
Athletic Injury
As mentioned above, it helps
athletes prevent injury when they're doing sports. But, how so?
For one, sports physical therapy
deals with muscle and joint flexibility. Flexible bodies are less likely to
incur injuries.
Sports therapists can also assist in
developing customized training programs. These reduce the chances of you
getting muscle cramps, torn ligaments, and strains.
Treatment
of Injury
After getting injured, a sports
therapist helps an athlete get back into the game. They implement a series of
exercises to treat the injury and condition the body.
These exercises are sports-specific.
A tennis player with a shoulder injury, for instance, must perform movements
similar to forehand shots, serves, and such.
Pain
Relief
Aggressive sports lead to a lot of
pain for the players. Injuries can also cause acute, chronic, or repetitive
pain.
Sports therapy
can provide immediate relief or reduced pain using various techniques. Hot and
cold packs, for example, help keep it at bay. Electrical stimulation also works
at stopping it from recurring.
Improve
Physical Functions
Athletes must be in top conditions
at all times so they can perform their best at a match. Aside from
sports-specific skills, they must also have strength, endurance, and
flexibility.
Sports therapy can help with all
three and more. Your body can reach its full potential using the right
program.
Learn
More About Sports Therapy Now
We hope our guide answered your
question, "what is sports therapy?" With this knowledge, think
about whether it's worth your time.
Physical therapy, in general, can
help improve everyone's life. Almost anyone is a good candidate for it as long
as you're in sports.
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