What to expect
Sports physiotherapy is the field of physiotherapy that focuses on the prevention and management of injuries resulting from sport and exercise participation. Sports physiotherapy involves treatment of patients at all ages and at all levels of ability, NOT just elite athletes.
Sports physiotherapy is one of the most dynamic parts of the profession, with significant research leading to rapid changes in knowledge and treatments. It is vital that your physiotherapist stays up to date with the research and modify their treatments, as what was the optimal treatment 5 years ago, may now be out of date. All our physiotherapists here at Burleigh Heads and Broadbeach physiotherapy centres have extensive experience in treating sports injuries, and all are required to stay up to date with their knowledge, through in-services, attending courses and conferences. Many of our physiotherapists have worked with sporting teams, and understand the necessity of providing the best treatment, so you not only recover faster, BUT also with less chance of re-injury. We can take care of you from day 1 of your injury, all the way through to rehabilitation in our gym (if required) and return to training and then return to sports. Even “weekend warriors” need to treat their injuries correctly – what is thought as a mild injury, can lead to other issues over time if not managed well.
We also work closely with Sports Physicians and Orthopaedic surgeons, so if your injury requires specialist medical attention, this can be expedited. We can organise relevant investigations if required (such as x-rays and MRI’s), so we can correctly diagnose and treat your injury faster. Book today to get your injury treated, and get back to sports faster.
Your physiotherapist will thoroughly examine you to assess your injury. Some sports injuries (particularly overuse injuries) are complex and the causes of the injury are multi-factorial, so it is important that your therapist performs a detailed examination, so they can treat not only your injury, but the cause of it as well. This is vital in prevention of recurrence.
Your physiotherapist may utilise a variety of techniques to help you improve, including:
- Manual therapy (including soft tissue massage, stretches, trigger point releases)
- Joint mobilisations (joint mobilisations are techniques used to improve joint movement and pain. Mobilising joints can often achieve similar results to manipulation (”cracking joints”), but without using as much force, eliminating the risk that can be involved with spinal manipulation.
- Prescription of exercises
- Advice on a graduated return to sport (this may require liaising with your coach)
- If your physiotherapist is concerned regarding your injury, they may refer you for investigations ie x-rays/MRI, or they may recommend you see your GP or a Specialist.
Screening tests – sports specific
Sports injuries occur at all levels of sport, not just elite athletes. If you have been injured at sport, or pain prevents you from participating in sport, then it is worth seeing a physiotherapist. Your physio can correctly diagnose and treat your injury, so you can get back to sport sooner.
Another aspect of sports physiotherapy that should not be overlooked, is sports screening. This is a process where a physiotherapist will perform a screening test specific to your sport. During this screening process, your physiotherapist will look for (among others):
- Muscle weakness
- Muscle imbalance
- Joint or muscular lack of range
- Poor proprioception (joint position sense, an important skill that has been shown to reduce the risk of injury)
- Poor cardiovascular endurance
By addressing any specific deficits you may have, you can reduce your risk of injury. Sports screening is performed for all elite sports people, but EVERYONE participating in sports (even recreational sports) benefits from screening.
Book in to see your physiotherapist if you want to reduce your risk of injury and perform better. We offer physiotherapy for sports injuries at both our Gold Coast physio clinics at Burleigh Heads and Broadbeach but our rehabilitation and gym facility is located at Burleigh Heads.