Physical Therapy For Sports Injuries
A Message from Dr. Christian Mercill, Active Physical Therapy Owner and Founder
If you’ve recently sustained a sports injury or have been dealing with one for some time, you might be tempted to brush it off as “nothing serious” and keep on truckin’.
Conversely, it’s simple to lose hope and become “stuck,” wondering if you’ll ever be able to resume your former level of physical activity.
Countless other people go through exactly what you’re experiencing right now, so don’t feel bad if it’s happening to you. In our physio clinic in Redding, California, people with sports and exercise-related injuries are a year-round fixture.
Traditionally, when someone was sick or injured, doctors would simply advise them to “rest” or “cease and desist” from the offending behavior. It’s ridiculous, and it’s making you more vulnerable to further harm and injury. The reason for this is that when we don’t use our muscles, they waste away and become weak. This helps shed light on why so many people with sports injuries wonder:
“It’s Been Months Now - So Why Am I STILL Suffering With An Injury That’s Stopping Me From Being Active And Playing My Favorite Sport?”
Does That Sound Like You?
We hear frequently at our sportscare physical therapy clinic and also common is the patient who goes to the doctor but is told to “take a break,” “rest,” “wear a support,” and “try these painkillers to see how it goes.” The patient returns to the same doctor four weeks later complaining that the injury hasn’t improved, only to be prescribed even more rest and stronger medication.
The issue is that complete rest is rarely the best advice when it comes to sports injuries like hamstring pulls, ankle sprains, runner’s knee, etc.
So, perhaps your confusion and frustration stem from the fact that various people have told you conflicting information. Maybe you’re worried about your back, but the issue really started in your hip.
Often, the site of a sports injury’s pain isn’t the same as the site of the injury itself, and if you rest for too long, other parts of the body become just as, if not more, problematic.
People often continue to put off making a decision about what to do to help fix their injury and return back to exercise because they are unsure of what “resting” actually entails. Worse, many people give up and accept that they are no longer physically capable of engaging in physical activity, as if this is natural or ‘has to be’ the case.
Is That How You Feel Too?.
If You’re Currently Frustrated And Living With A Sports Injury, Here’s 7 More Reasons Why It Could Be Lasting Longer Than It Should:
- You expected it to disappear by itself, but it hasn't.
- You went to the doctor and were prescribed rest, a support, and pain medication; however, none of these measures alleviated your pain, and as soon as their effects wore off, the suffering returned.
- Someone close to you—a relative or close friend—told you that sports injuries are more common as people age, and so you stopped worrying about it.
- You've gone to a physiotherapist or other medical professionals before, but they didn't help.
- You've tried heating and icing the area, as well as using a sport support, but none of these measures have alleviated your pain enough to allow you to exercise again without difficulty.
- You thought it would be wise to rest because the pain was so intense, but it continues to bother you every day despite your efforts to alleviate it.
- You went for a few "sports massages," hoping that would alleviate the discomfort, but all they did was make you feel a little "painful" or maybe "relaxing" but ultimately did nothing to help you recover from your injury.
If you have experienced any of these, we encourage you to schedule a call with one of our physical therapists to learn more about the options available to you. If you know what doesn’t work, you’ll be that much closer to discovering what does, so it’s good that you’ve tried at least some of these things.
To schedule a phone consultation with us and receive expert guidance, please click the button below. There is no charge for the phone call, and no commitment to schedule an appointment afterward. Our intention is to assist you in taking the necessary steps forward.
“What Can I Do To Get Rid Of The Pain Quickly?”...
- The first step is to decide to seek assistance; many put this off for far too long in the hope that their suffering will fade on its own. The situation hasn’t improved after six months of their bearing with it. Or it may worsen, and they continue to avoid sports and other forms of physical activity.
- Make sure you’re doing the correct exercises prescribed by your Physical Therapist to speed up your recovery, lessen your pain, get you back to playing sports more quickly, and lessen the likelihood that your injury will recur.
- Avoid “too much rest”; while sleep is vital to your recuperation, sleeping too much won’t speed up your healing. Many assume that resting entirely from physical activity is necessary for recuperation. However, rest inhibits blood flow, which is essential for healing an injury. In addition to receiving hands-on therapy, it would be beneficial if you were also given recovery and strengthening exercises to help you heal the injury and return to full health as soon as possible.
- Engage in “hands-on” physical therapy; this treatment method has been shown to aid those suffering from sports-related injuries. Here at Active Physical Therapy, we treat sports injuries year-round. Physical therapy can help you get back to the life you deserve as soon as possible if an injury is preventing you from participating in the activities you enjoy, from doing your work, from maintaining your independence, or from spending meaningful time with the people you care about.
Note: People who are anxious or apprehensive about Physical Therapy, wondering whether or not it will help them. Take advantage of a Free Total Body Diagnostic session with one of our experts. If you are anxious too, we recommend beginning with a Free Total Body Diagnostic session so that we can begin working together to determine the source of the problem and the best course of action.
So The Next Question Is...
"How Can Choosing To See A Physical Therapist At Active Physical Therapy Help You Get Rid Of Your Sports Injury For Good?"
- In just a few visits, we'll be able to get rid of your pain and stiffness for good.
- If you've been hurt, we can help you figure out what's up and fix the true problem in as little as 20 minutes.
- Pain can "zap" your energy and keep you from playing your favorite sport and doing your favorite activity; we can help you to enjoy life with more energy every day and return to doing what you love safely.
- Your issue will be effectively "fixed" and "healed," and we will give you the optimal regimen of therapeutic activities to hasten your rehabilitation.
- We can help you find an alternative to the frequent use of pain medications, which is obviously detrimental to your health in the long run.
- We can get you out of the operating room and away from those agonizing injections.
- We can protect you from having to repeat the process of sitting in the doctor's waiting room while being urged to "relax"
- What your injuries have taken away from you is the opportunity to spend quality time with loved ones, but we can help you gain that time back.
- You can stop worrying about the discomfort getting worse and halting your progress since we can help you get back on your feet and move without restriction.
Basically, the physical therapists at Active Physical Therapy will get you back to doing the kinds of activity you enjoy without the nagging pain that has been keeping you from it.
Please click the button below and fill out the brief form to learn more about our prices and availability at our clinic at Redding, California.
You don’t have to sacrifice the sport you love over problems that can be fixed.
Sincerely,
Dr. Christian Mercill DPT
Co-owner of Active Physical Therapy
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