Athletes and sports enthusiasts will need to keep their bodies in peak condition, especially since having a well-maintained body will translate to better performance in matches and tournaments. Typically, injuries will always be part of the workout process. For muscles to improve, they’ll need to produce microtears so that they’ll increase in terms of mass, power, and performance.
Although these small types of injuries are beneficial in improving muscles, too much muscle exertion can often lead to cramps, and in more extreme cases, hospitalization. The last thing that athletes want is to get hospitalized from broken bones, dislocated joints, and other types of sports injuries. This will often lead to most athletes having to stop playing to focus on healing and recovery.
Fortunately, different physiotherapy innovations have led to various options that can help expedite the recovery process from sports injuries. Here’s what you’ll need
Seeking Professional Help
But before anything else, it’s important to note that even though these are alternatives to getting treatment for sports injuries, these shouldn’t be substitutes for professional help. Although muscle pain and some forms of fatigue from working out might be treatable by a therapeutic massage session, severe types of injuries, such as dislocated bones, cuts, and bruises, should require professional medical care and intervention.
Sometimes, severe types of bodily injuries will require first aid to be administered before medical professionals can arrive. Fortunately, there are telemedicine services that are focused on wellness. Having professional advice and supervision from doctors can help expedite the healing process and mitigate the likelihood of injuries from physical activities to know.
Cryotherapy
First, one of the most common ways of treating sports injuries is through cryotherapy. Simply speaking, this is when you place cooling packs of ice in an injured area to minimize inflammation and reduce pain. Although there are no studies currently related to cryotherapy and its beneficial effects, this has still been a tried and tested way of keeping injuries stable until a medical practitioner can treat the injury.
This is known for partially mimicking the RICE method. This will usually help with the following:
- Reduce the temperature of muscles, which can stop your muscles from becoming sore and minimizing activity.
- Vasoconstriction will help reduce the flow of blood. This is important when reducing the likelihood of swelling.
- Compression helps reduce pain.
Chiropractic Adjustments
When playing sports, it’s not just our muscles that are moving: our skeletal system is known for keeping everything balanced and operational. Like muscles, our bones and our spinal joints can become stressed when too much force is being exerted. Chiropractors are experts that specialize in treating injuries or “correct” problems when it comes to posture.
Most of the time, a chiropractic adjustment is made when these experts apply a sudden (but also controlled) jolt of force on the person’s spine. This therapy’s main goal is to relieve any pressure on the back and realign a person’s spine.
But it’s important to remember that a chiropractic adjustment is only a portion of Chiropractic therapy. Most of these therapists will perform various therapeutic activities, such as massaging the back, spinal decompression, and physical therapy.
When should you get a chiropractic adjustment? When you start feeling the following:
- Runner’s knees
- Anterior cruciate ligament injuries
- Concussions
- Tennis Elbow
- Bursitis
- The buildup of pressure on your spine
Massage
Lastly, massage therapy is known for being one of the oldest forms of treatment. The Hindus first practiced this therapy to remove “negative” energy from the body and replace it with positive energy. Although, there’s a bit of through in this matter.
Culturally, there are different types of massage, and many are designed for specific parts of the body. For instance, a leg massage is more focused on the muscles of your leg. A hot stone massage is a great way of channeling warmer energies into your body.
You should get a massage if you’re feeling the following symptoms:
- Migraine and headache that’s caused by stress
- Stiff neck and neck pain
- Inability to sleep
- A clogged nose or inability to smell
There are various therapeutic sessions that athletes can utilize to help their muscles recover and heal. Although these are great ways of accelerating the recovery process, it’s still important to remember that these shouldn’t be substitutes for professional medical attention if injuries are severe and need immediate treatment. Some types of therapies will also require expert supervision. If you’re planning on meeting someone that doesn’t have any license or certification, it’s best to turn them down.
