Is Sports Therapy Only For Athletes?
Athletes put a lot of wear-and-tear on their bodies, sometimes resulting in injuries and the need for rehabilitation. Sports therapy is a specific form of rehabilitation that aims to recover injured athletes and prevent other injuries.
However, sports therapy isn’t just for high-class sports figures — it’s an excellent tool for anyone who’s physically active and wants to improve their performance in a specific activity.
Alpha Orthopedics & Sports Medicine is a premier orthopedic and sports medicine facility in Sherman, McKinney, and Prosper, Texas. Dr. Brian Snow and Dr. Jon Thompson are sports medicine and orthopedic specialists who offer sports therapy for injuries like ACL tears, knee pain, and fractures.
Understanding sports therapy
Many people are familiar with physical therapy, but few know much about sports therapy. The latter is a branch of medicine that aims to prevent sports injuries and restore functionality and abilities after an injury, irrespective of age or fitness level.
A sports therapist is a specific practitioner who has several particular duties when it comes to rehabilitation, including:
- Provide immediate injury care in various environments
- Assess and treat injuries or refer to a specialist
- Optimize performance levels through exercise principals
- Provide sports massage and soft tissue manipulations
- Plan appropriate return to work or exercise programs
Sports therapists don't just treat athletes — they perform their job on people of all ages in a competitive, recreational, or occupational environment. For instance, a professional athlete and someone who works out for fun benefit from sports therapy.
Some professionals require sports therapy to ensure they aren’t injured on the job. Other people looking to enhance their exercise or athletic performance also benefit from sports therapy appointments.
Is sports therapy just for athletes?
Although we focus on sports therapy for athletes who want to improve their performance and prevent injuries, anyone can participate. Weekend warriors, on-and-off exercisers, and anyone else who simply wants to improve their fitness can benefit from sports therapy.
Injuries happen to many more people than just athletes; ACL tears, shoulder injuries, and broken bones aren’t just athletic injuries. People who run for fun, play in an adult league for physical fitness, or are into lifting are all at risk for sports-related injuries.
Sports therapy is an excellent tool people of all ages should use to improve their physical health and prevent injury. It’s also a great option for recovering from an injury because it focuses on rehabilitation and conditioning.
Treatments involved in sports therapy
A sports therapy consultation involves principles of exercise science and the body’s physiological processes. We evaluate your training level, specific exercises, sport, or job to provide you with a customized treatment and training plan.
If you require additional treatments for sports therapy, we refer you to local specialists who offer the following treatments:
- Electrotherapy or TENS
- Manual muscle manipulation
- Sports massage
- Ultrasound therapy
- Conditioning exercises
- Strength training
- First aid
- Athletic taping
- Gait analysis
The treatment you need depends on why you’re at sports therapy. We tailor treatments to your needs, whether providing a training and conditioning program for a specific sport or using muscle manipulation and electrotherapy to overcome an injury.
Call one of our McKinney and Prosper, Texas offices for a sports therapy consultation. Alternatively, you may contact our team on our website to schedule an appointment with Dr. Thompson or Dr. Snow to discuss treatment options.