Sports Injuries: Advice from a Brisbane Physio
Sports injuries are frustrating. I empathise with many of you when you come into the clinic limping after a game of footy, understandably cranky that the injury occurred at the worst possible time. It is unfortunate, but it happens which is why I felt it necessary to compile a few tips together so you manage your injury well at the early stages.
Tip No.1
Get to them early. If you felt it 4 weeks ago, by the time you come for a visit your sports injuries may have progressed greatly.
Tip No.2
Follow the RICE regime: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. This works for the acute care of most joints and muscles. In the event that the injury occurred in the back, many find that a heat pack helps to relieve muscle spasms.
Tip No.3
Look for red flags. These are danger signs that can vary for injuries. For example, in the event that you have hurt your back, you are looking for tingling or numbness in the legs or weakness in the legs.
Tip No.4
Start looking for a physiotherapist. Obviously the location plays a huge role in deciding who to go for, but I recommend having a look at their website to see if they work with sports injuries. Look for special interests in sport or focus on particular injuries in their blogs for instance.
Tip No.5
If it hurts to do it, DON’T. This rule applies to any injury at the acute stages. The ‘No pain, no gain’ rule does not apply when you have just hurt yourself. Many sports medicine text books and articles always advise:” avoid aggravating factors”.
Tip No.6
Have a little patience. Sometimes, it just takes a while. There is nothing worse than progressing an exercise too early and hurting yourself further, so follow your therapist’s exercise program strictly.
Final and most important Tip
Most importantly remember, when it comes to sports physio prevention is better than cure. Some injuries (and I am not referring to the instances where people actually run into you) are preventable. In Brissy, physios are often present on field to assist with sports injuries, and off the field to maintain your body’s condition. Your maintenance program created by your physio or exercise physio should be sport specific and dependent on your position in the team.
In addition to physiotherapy programs it is vital that you maintain in a balanced diet and stay hydrated, particularly in Queensland’s scorching temperatures. Happy training!
For anymore tips or tricks for staying injury free Pivotal Motion Physiotherapy can help you get there. Located in Newmartket, Brisbane. Open Monday to Saturday. Call us on 07 3352 5116 or book online.
UPDATED 19/05/2022
