Are you an active runner that’s looking to build your body’s ability to support its joints? Do you have a nagging tennis elbow that’s preventing you from playing your beloved sport? If so, then you need to learn about how sports physical therapy can help.
So if you’re ready to return to form and begin pursuing athletics again, sports physical therapy can play an integral role in preparing and protecting your body.
Whenever people think of sports therapy, they generally assume that it’s for recovery. That isn’t always the case. In fact, physical therapy is a great way to prepare and protect your body from serious injuries in the future.
Keep on reading for an in-depth guide explaining the benefits of finding a physical therapist in Chicago to keep you in prime condition for your sport.
1. Extra Protection from Injury
For all you active runners out there, if you were to visit the website of Brooks Running Shoes right now, you might feel compelled to take their questionnaire.
Brooks uses this questionnaire to determine the best Brooks shoe for your needs. But you’ll notice a trend: each of their questions is about the natural strength and flexibility of your body.
For example, they also you about the strength of your knees to determine whether your joints need extra stabilization and support from the running shoe.
What does all of this have to do with physical therapy? It proves the exact point we’re trying to make. Stronger muscles around your joints and ligaments can help prevent serious injuries from occurring.
That’s the main goal of advanced physical therapy. You’ll have a physical therapist doctor to assess your current strength level, then create a plan to target your weakest features to aid in injury prevention.
Once that plan is in place, there will be a certified personal trainer to oversee the plan and ensure that you’re seeing the best results.
Imagine being able to play tennis year-round without any setbacks. Think of how enjoyable it would be to run without that nagging pain in your knees or shins. Physical therapy clinics can help you accomplish that!
2. Treatment for Current Injuries
As athletes, we all have a natural drive to compete. At times, that can cause us to try and brave through the pain we’re experiencing.
One of the most common issues we see is when our patients shrug off minor injuries that they have. They won’t even mention it to their personal trainer or physical therapist because they don’t want to be “that patient”.
However, without proper treatment, that minor injury can quickly turn into a more serious issue.
Take tennis elbow as an example. It always starts harmless enough. You start to feel some throbbing pain, which most athletes believe they can play through. But if not treated properly, tennis elbow can lead to arthritis or even a loss of function in the elbow.
Thankfully, there are several ways to treat it. Your physical therapist can help you fix your tennis elbow with several helpful exercises and methods of prioritizing rest.
The next time that you’re dealing with a nagging injury, even if it’s minor, remind yourself ” I need to find physical therapy near me” to get proper treatment.
3. Prioritizes Flexibility
When is the last time you took more than 20 seconds to stretch your muscles? Many people out there think that flexibility is either naturally given to you or not. That couldn’t be further from the truth.
As you’ll see in your physical therapy, doctors and trainers prioritize stretching to loosen those muscle fibers and generate more flexibility.
Flexibility is the best tool for preventing future injuries. It can optimize the performance of a specific muscle group and prevent an injury in the process.
For example, let’s say you’re playing tennis, a sport that requires consistent bursts of speed and constant side-to-side action. In the heat of the match, it isn’t uncommon for a player to roll or hyperextended their ankle when they slip or trip on the court.
If you prioritize good stretching techniques, your muscles will be flexible and have the range of motion to lessen the severity of rolled ankle. Without stretching, your muscles will be much more tense and unable to adapt to the hyperextension.
Sports physical therapy can help you prioritize both strengthening your muscles and broadening your flexibility. That way they can support your joints, tendons, and the like.
5. Knowledge of Common Sports Injuries
Unfortunately, severe injuries are becoming more and more common in today’s world. If you play your sport without focusing on stretching and keeping your muscles fresh, you might be in line for a serious injury as well. Such injuries include:
- Shoulder Injuries
- Torn ACL or MCL
- Shin Splints
- Muscle Strains
- Tennis Elbow
- Plantar Fasciitis
While most athletes have heard of these injuries, they lack proper knowledge of them. Sports physical therapy can help you both treat and avoid serious injuries.
For example, plantar fasciitis physical therapy can help lessen the pain and steadily get you back to peak physical condition for your sport.
We also strive to relieve the chronic pain that results from these injuries. Most patients don’t realize that other diseases, such as depression and heart disease, can lead to injuries that need to be treated by a physical therapist.
Invest in Sports Physical Therapy Today
Now that you have seen an in-depth guide on how sports physical therapy can help prepare you and prevent future injuries, be sure to invest in it for yourself.
Take the time to visit this page and learn all that you can about how our physical therapy treatment can help you with any pain you’re experiencing.
For more inquiries, please be sure to begin by visiting our contact us page and we will be happy to assist you further.