Why you should see a physical therapist for sports injury therapy

Football. Golf. Tennis. What do all these sports have in common? They can all lead to sports injuries. 

Professional athletes can expect to experience some type of injury at some point in their careers. In fact, it’s estimated that 1 in every 5 pro athletes injures themselves every year. But amateur athletes are vulnerable to sports injuries, too. After all, medical researchers report that 8.6 million sports- and recreation-related injuries occur in the U.S. annually. Many sports injuries can benefit from treatment by an experienced physical therapist.

What types of injuries can sports injury therapy treat?

Whether you are a recreational, amateur or professional athlete, you’ll find that physical therapy is a great choice for getting back into competitive form again. A few of the common sports-related injuries that physical therapy can help treat are:

• Sprains and strains
• Torn muscles and ligaments
• Shin splints
• Concussions
• Tennis and golfer’s elbow
• Joint injuries

Regardless of the cause of your injury, a physical therapist may help you recover quickly and provide assistance for preventing injuries in the future.

What does a physical therapist do during sports injury therapy?

Physical therapists use evidence-based techniques to help athletes recover. Your treatment will depend on the cause and severity of your injury. Typical sports injury therapy programs include:

• Therapeutic exercises — Used to help strengthen and stretch the injured area. This technique is especially helpful for reducing pain and improving support for joint injuries. 
• Manual therapy — Involves your physical therapist moving and manipulating the injured area with their hands. It can help promote better blood flow, reduce pain and increase function.
• Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) — A technique where your physical therapist uses ergonomic tools to manipulate injured soft tissue. It’s helpful for breaking down scar tissue and improving blood flow. 
• Aquatic therapy — Often involves doing therapy exercises in a heated pool. In turn, this can help reduce pain and swelling and decrease risk of injury during therapy. 

Find high-quality treatment for your sports injuries at Peak Performance

Are you in need of effective sports injury therapy? Our Peak Performance team includes physical therapists who are highly experienced at treating sports injuries. We also offer free screenings designed to help us learn as much as possible about your injury. In addition, our team excels at building personalized treatment plans for a wide range of sports injuries. You can even get help from home thanks to our virtual care service. 

Don’t wait any longer to start getting treatment for your sports injury. Contact us today for more information about our therapy services or to schedule your free screening.