How Physical Therapy Can Help You Get Ready for Fall Sports
Are you worried about a persistent ache or pain that pops up every time you start to train for your sport? Have you been wondering what you can do to get your body working at its peak performance before the fall sports season starts? At Hope Physical Therapy, our therapists specialize in helping athletes recover from old and new injuries and maximize their training to compete at their highest levels!
Before we know it, it’ll be autumn, and with the cooler season will come something many of us love to participate in fall sports. Athletes preparing for fall sports such as cross country running, football, and soccer will benefit from getting started sooner than later with proper guidance from a physical therapist.
Physical therapists are experts in preparing the body to work at its peak ability. Making sure your body is strong and moving with coordinated precision is vital to maintaining high performance.
Our team at Hope Physical Therapy will conduct a sports screening to identify any weaknesses or restrictions affecting your performance and give you the tools to overcome any obstacle to make sure you compete at the highest level possible!
Call our clinic today to learn how our (town) therapists can help you prepare for your sport of choice this fall and prevent sports injuries down the road!
What do physical therapists do to prepare athletes for fall sports?
Sports provide a way for you to get physical activity while having fun. Being able to train and compete in the sport you love, competitively or just for fun, is a vital part of enjoying life.
Our physical therapists help these athletes in a variety of ways. We will start with a sports screening and a biomechanical assessment to identify any factors contributing to pain or injury or limiting your ability to compete at your highest level.
We will use this assessment to develop a conditioning program to build your strength, coordination, and movement patterns to increase your fitness level and help you make the most of your favorite sports this season.
Conditioning is a significant part of preparing the body for when you play sports. By teaching targeted exercises, lifting weights, and coordination drills, a physical therapist can help prevent athletes from injury while simultaneously getting them ready to compete. Participating in conditioning programs can lower your risk of sustaining an injury during the game.
How to minimize common sports injuries
Not everyone knows that physical therapy at Hope Physical Therapy can help you prevent sustaining an injury this fall sports season.
There are two ways sports injuries can occur:
- Acute injuries: such as a soccer player colliding with another or cutting to change directions.
- Chronic overuse-type injuries: due to sustained or repetitive motions, like activities such as running for long periods during cross country events.
Sprains are extremely common in sports. When a ligament is stretched beyond its limits, a sprain can occur. Once the ligament is stretched, it is more likely that the affected area will be sprained again in the future.
Strains occur to the tendons and muscles throughout the body and are a widespread sports injury. Tendons connect your muscles and bones. When a tendon is stretched beyond its limit, a strain occurs. Once the tendon is stretched, it is more likely that the affected area will be strained again in the future.
Some common injuries that we treat in athletes at Hope Physical Therapy are as follows:
- Ankle sprains
- ACL, meniscus, and other knee injuries
- Hamstring strain
- Tennis or golf elbow
- Back and neck pain
- Rotator cuff strains and tendonitis
Receiving physical therapy before you begin playing this fall could make all the difference in how ready your body is to be out on the field or court.
If you sustain an injury while playing sports, one of our physical therapists will conduct a thorough evaluation to identify all the factors associated with your sports injury. Our comprehensive evaluation will help us design a personalized treatment plan based on the specific needs of the diagnosis and any additional symptoms you are experiencing.
Our clinic also provides sessions to enhance your performance and prevent future sports injuries!
Request an appointment at Hope Physical Therapy today!
At Hope Physical Therapy, we make it our top priority to encourage healing and injury prevention for our patients. Our physical therapists can help you improve your mobility, strength, and overall function to prevent additional injuries.
Call us today to learn more about how physical therapy can help you have your best season yet!