Sports medicine focuses on helping people improve their athletic performance, recover from injury and prevent future injuries. It is a fast-growing health care field. Health workers who specialize in sports medicine help all kinds of people, not just athletes.
Sports rehabilitation focuses on understanding, preventing and treating sports and exercise-related injuries and musculoskeletal conditions. The physical therapists at Memorial Hospital’s Therapy and Sports Rehab Center play a vital role in supporting athletes, players and sports participants of all ages and abilities. They are well trained in treatment of all phases of sports rehabilitation.
There are five main phases of sports injury rehabilitation:
Reduction of pain and swelling.
Restoration of joint mobility and range of motion.
Recovery of muscle strength and endurance.
Recovery of coordination.
Recovery of sport-specific technical movements.
In order for an athlete to be fully recovered and ready to return to his or her sport, it is important that all phases of recovery are addressed to prevent re-injury.
Common questions and answers regarding sports injuries:
How long does a sports injury take to heal?
Depending on the severity of the injury and whether or not surgery is required, the length of rehabilitation varies greatly. On occasion it can even take up to 12 months for full healing and recovery to occur. The most common reason for such a long recovery period is the importance of fully rebuilding muscle to prevent re-injury.
How can I prevent re-injury?
Re-injury can occur for multiple reasons. The most common reasons are inadequate therapy, inadequate stretching, and returning to sports too early. One of the most important parts of therapy is rebuilding the muscle appropriately to prevent re-injury.
If you have suffered a sports-related injury, contact Memorial Hospital’s Therapy and sports Rehab Center to get back in action faster.