HY 1/08: Coming Back From a Sports Injury

Physical therapy gets you back in the game

Ever twisted an ankle or wrenched your back playing sports? Millions of recreational athletes sustain injuries like these—and in many cases, physical therapy alone is enough to get them back in the game. Physical therapists treat all types of injuries, in all kinds of athletes from weekend warriors to pros. Your doctor will probably prescribe two to three sessions a week for a few weeks (or months, for more serious injuries). You needn’t spend all that time at the gym; in most cases, your therapist will teach you exercises to do at home. “When you first meet, the therapist will evaluate your injury, take your medical history, listen to your fitness goals and help you develop a plan,” says sports medicine physician Laura Dunne, M.D.Typically, therapy involves:

Reducing inflammation—Therapists often use the RICE technique (rest, ice, compression and elevation).

Restoring range of motion—“Your therapist may manually stretch your muscles after warming them up,” says physical therapist Vincent Hudson.

Rebuilding muscle strength—This often involves equipment like free weights, exercise bands or machines.

Insurance and Medicare usually cover at least part of the cost. Depending on your needs, physical therapists have many other approaches including massage and gentle electrical stimulation.

Physical therapy doesn’t just help you recover, it’s also preventive. “If you try to return to normal activity without the proper rehab, you can re-injure yourself,” says orthopedic surgeon Neal Stansbury, M.D. “Therapy makes the chances of recurrence much lower.”

Want to Know More about preventing injuries at the gym? Call 610-402-CARE.

Published from Healthy You Magazine, January-February 2008