Physical therapists treat a lot of athletes in their line of work. That’s because athletes push their bodies hard to achieve new levels of personal achievement and athletic competition. The demands are high, and when you push yourself too hard, you can get hurt.
Fortunately, physical therapy treatments help athletes recover at a good pace so they can return to training and competition.
Six of the most common sports injuries treated by physical therapists
- Hamstring injury — The hamstring is a group of large muscles on the back of the thigh. Athletes commonly stretch and tear their hamstring muscles because of the constant running that takes place in many sports. Hamstring injuries vary in severity, but they all require a period of rest and treatment for recovery.
- Sprained ankle — Twisting, rolling or otherwise putting weight on your foot in an awkward position can sprain the ligaments in your ankle. When this happens, the ligaments stretch or tear, which is painful and limits the use of your ankle. Often, it’s unbearable to put weight on the injured ankle until further along in the recovery process.
- Pulled groin — The groin muscles are located in your pelvis and along the inside of your upper thighs. Overexertion or a traumatic injury can cause one or more of the muscles in your groin to stretch or tear.
- Torn rotator cuff — The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons in each shoulder that holds the ball and socket of the joint together. Overexertion of the shoulder or a traumatic injury can cause the rotator cuff to tear, which limits the use of your shoulder. In some cases, surgery is necessary for treatment but many athletes can get by with physical therapy.
- Torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) — The ACL is one of the four major ligaments in your knee. It runs through the center of the knee and helps keep it from twisting. An injury that involves a sudden twisting motion can tear the ACL, which affects the stability of your knee. Many athletes need reconstruction surgery to repair a torn ACL, but physical therapists help you prepare for the surgery and recover afterward.
- Tennis elbow — Overexertion of the elbow can cause the tendons connected to it to become inflamed. This is known as tendinitis, which is commonly referred to as tennis elbow due to its prevalence among tennis players. Despite the name, it can affect other athletes who frequently use their arms and elbows as well.
Visit Advent Physical Therapy in Rockford, MI, for sports injury treatment
Athletes should be on the field and court, not on the sidelines waiting to feel better again. At Advent Physical Therapy in Rockford, Michigan, our team can help you through your recovery process to experience a better quality of recovery. Contact our team today for more information about sports injury treatment or to schedule an initial appointment.