6 Benefits of Sports Physio
What is a Sports Physio?
Sports physiotherapists are physiotherapists who specialise in the prevention and management of musculoskeletal injuries that arise from sport and exercise participation. Using an evidence-based approach, they focus on promoting and maintaining the active and healthy lifestyles of their patients – weekend warriors, elite, the non sporting alike. They are skilled at making early diagnosis of your issue and progressing you through your rehabilitation journey right up until you are well placed to return to, and surpass, your goals.
Sports physio knee assessment.
What do they specialise in?
Sports Physios are skilled clinicians that have experience with a wide variety of injuries common not only in sports, but everyday life! Most people picture the sports physio as someone who gives hands on treatment right before the start of an elite level event, but that’s just a small part of their expertise. They use their appreciation of the anatomy and the mechanics of movement in conjunction with a phenomenal understanding of exercise to tailor treatments to each presenting patient and their condition. Further, aside from their excellent rehabilitation skills, they can assist with injury prevention, game day preparation, and performance improvement – which is important for everyone, not just those in elite sports.
So, what are the benefits?
1. Individualised Treatment
Sports physios appreciate everyone is different and has different goals, so you’ll get a tailored assessment and treatment based on what you want and what you need for optimal movement and performance. They know that the mindset and the movements required for a runner are vastly different to that of a swimmer, so their treatment focuses on what is relevant for you!
2. Pain Relief
Sports physios employ a wide variety of techniques to help reduce acute pain – whether it be from a muscle, nerve or joint. This isn’t just limited to pitch side, however, as sports physios are equally adept at relieving the aches and pains that come with living an active lifestyle in the clinic too. Especially during a long winter season, a physio assessment can go a long way towards diagnosing and easing any niggles and making for a strong run home and finish to the season.
3. Addressing the root cause, not just the symptoms
Sports physios look at not only the injury holding you back from playing, but also consider the root contributing causes of the problem and address these in their treatment sessions – helping prevent recurrences. This means that your sports physio will get you back ready to play as soon as possible, and by fixing up what contributed to that injury, can prevent you needing to miss more time again in the future.
4. Forget just getting back to play – get back to PERFORM!
Sports physios have an expert knowledge of what it takes to succeed in your chosen activity and consider these needs in your treatment. Being away from the game and training due to an injury may be frustrating - but your sports physio knows that it is a fantastic chance to work on other things that will set you apart from the pack and perform better than your best when you are back. Lower leg injury? Great chance to smash out some upper body strength unrestricted and make your serve a little more powerful! Shoulder injury? Great chance to work on your conditioning and get an edge on your opponent while still rehabilitating the joint! Sports physios consider this in their exercise prescription instead of just focusing on your injury which allows you to return at your best.
Further, they will follow you through the whole return to play process. Following criteria driven outcomes, such as the AxIT strength system, you will be listened to, assessed and returned to doing what you love best as soon as possible. Sports physios guide you through step by step - starting with low level rehabilitation and progressing to life/sport specific skills. This means you’re integrated back into what you’re missing safely - which can be daunting if you’re just left to your own devices.
5. Reduce future injury risk
Similarly, Sports Physios know what the implications of your injury have on your risk of future injuries. For example, did you know that a calf injury increases your risk of suffering a future hamstring strain? Or that addressing pelvic control can improve back pain while running? Your sports physio does. They can put in place strategies that can help reduce any flare ups in the future.
But you don’t have to be injured to get the same injury prevention benefits – your sports physio can design and help you implement a high level injury prevention program as part of our favourite method of treatment – prehabilitation. This can involve strengthening exercises, motor control training, hands on treatment, stretching and assessment of important sports specific skills such as technique, agility mechanics, and running pattern – to name only a few.
6. Passion for getting better
And the best part, they’re all still committed to learning. Sports physios are passionate about being up to date with the latest evidence and research and integrating it into their practice. So you’ll get the cutting edge treatment that is shown to work the best, getting you back to your activity sooner and more prepared.
The lifestyle and Sports Physiotherapists here at Keilor Road Physiotherapy have a high level of expertise in athletic injuries and rehabilitation. We take the time to listen and understand all the factors that are important to you, to keep you active while you are rehabilitating. Our sports rehabilitation and injury prevention is based on advanced physiotherapy training to ensure we deliver on your goals.
Sports physio shoulder rehab.
Keilor Road Physiotherapy utilises advanced technology including AxIT strength testing and Real Time Ultrasound, our fully equipped Pilates and Exercise Studio and confidential treatment rooms to help you achieve understanding of your injury and ultimately success in reaching your treatment goals.
We pride ourselves on using the latest evidence based diagnostic and treatment techniques, that’s why we’re trusted by Geelong AFLW, Carlton AFLW, Essendon AFLW, Olympic and Commonwealth Games athletes, Hockey Australia and local sporting clubs throughout the North West of Melbourne.
Keilor Road Physiotherapy are sport physio expert. Servicing Niddrie, Essendon, Airport West, Keilor & Melbourne’s Northern suburbs for over 40 years, you can book with one of our Sports physiotherapists below or call 93794557 to speak to one of our admin superstars.
Related links
References
Woods A, Woods CB. An exploration of the perspectives of elite Irish rowers on the role of the sports physiotherapist. Phys Ther Sport. 2012 Feb;13(1):16-21
Green, B., Bourne, M. N., van Dyk, N., & Pizzari, T. (2020). Recalibrating the risk of hamstring strain injury (HSI): A 2020 systematic review and meta-analysis of risk factors for index and recurrent hamstring strain injury in sport. British journal of sports medicine, 54(18), 1081-1088.
Johnston, R. D., Black, G. M., Harrison, P. W., Murray, N. B., & Austin, D. J. (2018). Applied sport science of Australian football: A systematic review. Sports Medicine, 48(7), 1673-1694.
Culvenor, A. G. (2017). Professional pathways towards excellence in sports physiotherapy: opportunities and barriers.
Article by
Shea Mulkearns | Physiotherapist
Shea graduated from La Trobe University with a Bachelor of Applied Science and Master of Physiotherapy Practice, and completed a range of placements in both public and private hospitals, and private practices. Further to this, he gained significant experience working with multiple sporting teams, such as the Western Bulldogs AFL/VFL, St Bernard's Old Collegians Football club (VAFA) and with Melbourne Victory in their academy set up.