Sports Injury - Know Role Of Physiotherapy In It!

There are many sports injuries commonly treated by physiotherapists such as muscle strains, ligament sprains, dislocations and fracture. The type of physiotherapy treatments will vary according to the sports injury.

What Happens at the First Visit?

During your first visit to your physiotherapist, you will be asked about your activity that led to your injury, your past medical history and other related data. The therapist will perform a thorough physical examination of your injured body part. Based on the results of physiotherapy evaluation and examination, also on your particular needs and goals, your physiotherapist will formulate a comprehensive treatment plan specifically made for you.

Physical Therapy Treatments for Sports Injuries

1. Ice pack application: Ice application is often prescribed for acute sports injuries. Icing helps minimize your pain and swelling that result from the injury. The physiotherapist will wrap an ice pack with the towel and apply it to your injured part for about 20 minutes.
2. Hot pack application: The physiotherapist uses a hot pack wrapped in the towel if you do not have swelling. The pack will be applied for about 20 minutes. Hot pack application can help relieve your pain and muscle or joint stiffness. This helps to hasten the healing by increasing blood flow to your injured body part.
3. TENS, or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator, is a small battery-operated device that directs small amounts of current to the skin over your injury. You will feel a tingling sensation when the device is turned on. TENS can help temporarily relieve your symptom of pain.
4. Ultrasound: An ultrasound is a machine that drives sound vibrations to your tissues. It is a deep heating apparatus or modality. This means that this physiotherapy apparatus can heat up deeper tissues or bulky body areas. An ultrasound may be used by your physiotherapist to soften your deeper tissues or to aid in your healing process.
5. Massage: Massage also called soft tissue mobilization, is a hands-on therapy that the physiotherapist may use. Massage may be employed to relax tight muscles, decrease swelling, reduce tissue adhesions, or pain relief.
6. Range of motion exercises: Range of motion (ROM) exercises can help improve or maintain your joint range of motion. By performing ROM exercise whenever possible, you can prevent your joints and muscle from becoming stiff.
7. Strengthening exercises: Being inactive for a long time can make your muscles weak. Strengthening exercises can help you maintain the strength of your uninjured muscles and improve the strength of your weakened muscles.
8. Gait or walking training: You may need gait or walking training using a walking device like a walker or crutches to avoid putting stress on your injured lower limb. The physiotherapist will fit you with a proper walking device and train you on how to properly use it.

A sprain is a tear of the ligament. The ligament is responsible for connecting the tissue strands that connect the bone to the muscle. When this sprain affects the muscle or even the tendon, it is known as a strain.
Sprains are very common and can occur due to a fall, twist, or impact. Most commonly affected areas are the ankles and wrists. Sprains happen when there is a pull or a twist of the ankle or the joint. This is very common in athletes and can be caused by repetitive motions in the knees, wrists, elbows, etc.

The most common symptom is a pain, swelling, limited movement, and sometimes bruising. The degree of these injuries depends on its severity.

A word of caution to athletes or people who are very active physically is to go easy on the joint. In an eagerness to quickly get back to their routine, more and severe damage may be caused. This can be avoided by allowing time for complete healing.