Sports Physical Therapy
Sports Physical Therapy is physical therapy that places a special focus on athletes. The difference between general physical therapy and sports-focused physical therapy are driven in both the goals associated with each patient/athlete and the modalities and tools utilized by physical therapists to achieve an athlete’s goal. Sports physical therapy also encompasses pre-injury training and conditioning as well as post-injury and post-surgical rehabilitation for athletes that are enrolled in physical therapy to expedite their recovery from a sports-related injury or condition.
Sports physical therapy most commonly targets the musculoskeletal systems including: joints, ligaments, muscles, bones, and connective tissue. A physical therapist who specializes in Sports Physical Therapy, like at Aptiva Health, will evaluate your chronic or acute sports-related conditions to determine the best treatment plan for you. Alternatively, in the realm of sports performance, our Physical Therapy team will assess your current functional abilities and create a customized performance plan to help you achieve your specific sports-related goals. At Aptiva Health, we provide sports physical therapy in an outpatient clinic setting. Often, we can see patients the same-day, or within 48 hours, for their sports physical therapy needs.
Conditions Treated
Sports physical therapy primarily focuses on sports injury prevention and treating acute and post-surgical sports-related injuries of the musculoskeletal system. These conditions include:
Joint stability training
Low back injury prevention
In addition to these conditions, sports physical therapy also focuses on post-operative rehabilitation following a needed orthopedic surgery for a sports-related injury. At Aptiva Health, our physical therapists provide post-operative physical therapy for the following sports orthopedic surgeries:
Treatments & Modalities
Sports physical therapists at Aptiva Health utilize a wide range of therapeutic modalities, exercises, assistive devices, and patient education methods to treat patients.
Most treatments within sports physical therapy fall into two categories:
passive modalities (the therapist gives you a treatment), or
active modalities (you perform or participate in a movement)
Here are some examples of treatments that may be used with sports physical therapy.
HOT/COLD THERAPY
Sports physical therapists use both cryotherapy (cold therapy) and thermotherapy (heat therapy) to treat musculoskeletal pain and swelling. In a 2015 study involving 100 patients, both heat and ice helped prevent muscle damage, but cold used immediately after intense exercise was more effective at preventing muscle soreness.
EXERCISE THERAPY
Your therapist will create an exercise plan that will likely include strengthening, mobility, or balance-building exercises.
It’s a good idea to practice the exercises with your therapist at first so you know you’re doing them correctly. Once you know how to do the exercises properly, you will be encouraged to do them at home on a regular basis to help boost your strength and mobility.
E-STIM (TENS OR NMES)
There is growing evidence that electrical stimulation has the ability to cut down on pain.
When a PT uses this treatment modality, the therapist attaches an e-stim device to the injured area of your body.
There are two main types of e-stim devices. They include:
TENS. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) uses low voltage electrical current to provide pain relief. It’s thought that the electrical impulses may help block pain receptors from being sent from your nerves to your brain.
NMES. Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) uses a device that sends electrical impulses to nerves. This causes your muscles to contract. It’s thought that the repeated muscle contractions can improve blood flow and help repair injured muscles.
TRACTION
Traction takes the pressure off compressed or damaged joints. It can be conducted with a piece of equipment or with the therapist’s hands, and is considered helpful for people with:
neck pain
lower back pain
degenerative disc conditions in the spine
SOFT TISSUE MANIPULATION
A soft tissue manipulation is a form of manual physical therapy in which the PT uses hands-on techniques on your muscles, ligaments, and fascia. This is done to break adhesions and to optimize your muscle function.
Although more research is needed to verify the specific effects of soft tissue manipulation, it is generally recommended as a way to reduce pain and decrease muscle tension.
JOINT MOBILIZATION
This technique involves a therapist moving your joint firmly and carefully in the desired direction. Like soft tissue manipulation, it is a manual technique.
DRY NEEDLING
With this technique, the therapist inserts a thin needle into a specifically targeted muscle with a trigger point — usually one that is the source of tension or pain.
LASER OR LIGHT THERAPY
Sports physical therapists may use low-level laser or light therapies to boost muscle performance, reduce muscle fatigue, and enable muscle repair after an injury.
KINESIOLOGY TAPING
Kinesiology tape is an extremely flexible band of tape made of stretchy fabric. This therapeutic tape, which often comes in bright colors or snappy patterns, is applied to specific areas of the body.
There is also growing evidence that kinesiology tape may help:
provide support
reduce pain and inflammation
decompress trigger points
boost circulation
improve lymphatic drainage
improve flexibility
Injury Prevention at Aptiva Health
Unfortunately, most athletes come to see a physical therapist when they have already been injured or are in pain. However, one of the greatest benefits to physical therapists in sports medicine comes with sports injury prevention. Our physical therapists at Aptiva Health have a deep understanding of exercise science, physiology, and biomechanics. Therefore, they are highly qualified to spot muscle instability and weaknesses that can lead to an injury. Furthermore, they can devise a prevention program that includes proper warm-ups and cool-downs, as well as special exercises. Our physical therapists educate athletes on proper posture and movement through tests such as gait analysis for runners, injury risk assessments, or functional tests. They are also open to answering any of the questions from interested parents.
Having a physical therapist trained in sports medicine can also benefit the athlete in catching an injury early. They can easily spot if an athlete has changed posture or seems to be favoring part of the body. Both of these signs could indicate an oncoming injury. Spotting this early can mean the difference between missing out on a practice or game or the entire season. With a trained physical therapist, an athlete can have the opportunity to maintain muscle strength. They will also be able to improve or correct and biomechanical or functional weaknesses.