Sports physiotherapists can help with rugby injuries.
Sports physical therapy is the specialized branch of physical therapy that deals with injuries and issues related to athletics. Sports physical therapists can do research, help athletes recover from injuries, and provide education and resources to prevent problems. Therapy services are generally available to people of all ages who play sports at any level of competition. Professionals may work in private practices, hospitals, rehab clinics, or on-site at sporting events.
A person in sports physiotherapy with a knee brace.
Research efforts in sports physiotherapy are leading to a better understanding of sports injuries and better rehabilitation techniques. Scientists and engineers in biomedical research and development laboratories design equipment to help athletes recover from injuries and prevent future problems. For example, an engineer might design a new type of knee brace for an athlete with a torn knee ligament, a common injury in many sports. He or she can experiment with different types of materials and their configurations to create a comfortable, practical and supportive strap that an athlete can wear during activity. Much of the research in sports physiotherapy is also devoted to the development of better safety equipment, such as helmets and mouth guards, to protect people in different sports.
The anterior cruciate ligament is the most commonly injured ligament in the knee.
Physicians and trainers who practice sports physiotherapy have extensive knowledge of the variety of injuries that can occur during sports practice. Therapists help athletes overcome their injuries and return to previous levels of activity, offering rehabilitation services and advice on how to prevent future problems. When an athlete is injured, they meet with a physical therapist to discuss the problem and determine the best rehabilitation plan. You may be instructed to take medications prescribed by a doctor and participate in physical therapy sessions to regain your strength and confidence. During rehabilitation training, the therapist evaluates the athlete’s progress and advises him on how to prevent another injury from occurring.
Some physical therapists are equipped to provide physical therapy to both amateur and professional athletes.
Depending on the type and severity of the injury, rehabilitation physical therapy can take anywhere from a few hours of light sessions to months or years of intensive training. Some competitive athletes meet with their therapists regularly throughout their careers to assess the status of persistent injuries and look for warning signs that further injuries may occur. Some experts also provide advisory services to their longtime clients, helping athletes make the best professional decisions to improve their health and safety. With the guidance and treatment provided by qualified therapists and physicians, many athletes are able to fully recover from injuries and return to playing sports with ease.