Providing that the Government’s roadmap goes to plan, from the 29th March, outdoor sports facilities such as tennis and basketball courts, and open-air swimming pools will be allowed to reopen and formally organised outdoor sports will be allowed once again. With this in mind, we are here to help you prepare by discussing sports injuries from an osteopath’s perspective, including how we approach treatment for injuries and how to prevent them.
Identifying Sports Injuries
Regardless of your skill level when it comes to sports, it is always possible for sports injuries to occur. Whether it is a lack of safety equipment, failing to warm-up sufficiently or mis-stepping, sport injuries often happen. If you have left a game feeling a new type of pain or discomfort, it is important to examine if it needs treating.
Most often, a sports injury requiring attention will show the following signs:
- Pain
- Swelling
- Numbness
- Tenderness
- Limited Movements
While medical attention can initially help you to identify the injury and offer treatment, osteopathy can assist with the healing process if these signs persist.
Sports Injuries from an Osteopath's Perspective
Osteopathic treatment is a manual approach to medicine, with a primary focus on your musculoskeletal system. This includes your bones, muscles, ligaments, joints and connective tissue.
Osteopathy is based on the principle that when your body is in alignment, it functions more efficiently. Sports injuries often occur as a result of underlying imbalances in the body, so it is up to an osteopath to help patients achieve realignment. Osteopathic treatment focuses on accurate diagnosis of injury, and uses a range of techniques including physical manipulation, stretching and massaging to identify and treat the source of pain.
The goal of sports massage is to relieve tension found in the soft tissues of your body, which includes your tendons and muscles. This is especially ideal for athletes looking to recover from a sports injury or to improve their performance. However, for anyone who is experiencing muscular tension or pain, skills from sports massages can be adapted to ease your discomfort also.
Osteopaths are now being used increasingly by sporting-professionals and amateur athletes alike to address injuries and improve performance.
How to Prevent Sports Injuries
To help prevent sports injuries your body needs appropriate care. Exercises to strengthen your muscles, stretching exercises to increase flexibility and reinforcement by using proper techniques can help you to perform better and helps to reduce the likelihood of injury.
To avoid injury and improve your overall long-term performance, taking time to stretch and warm up your muscles before exercise is extremely important. Remember to take care of yourself by not pushing yourself to play through the pain. Don’t forget to also schedule regular rest days to allow your body time to recover. For example, you might choose one day per week as a rest day and to rest more during the off season.
Visiting Your Osteopath for Sports Injuries
If you are experiencing pain or tension as a result of sports injuries, osteopathic treatment may provide relief and help to reduce the risk of repeat injury.
If you are concerned about seeking osteopathic treatment during the 2021 lockdown restrictions, please read more about visiting our practice during the 2021 lockdown. If you have further questions about sports injuries from an osteopath’s perspective, you can contact your local practice.
