The Role Physiotherapy Plays in Preventing Surgery for Sports-Related Injuries
Are you ready for the spring sports season? This time of year is when three of our favourite sports finally get to shine, but they can also bring with them a risk of injury. Fortunately, the South Sherbrook Therapy team can help you recover after an injury and, in many cases, avoid the need for surgery.
Our Three Favourite Spring Sports (And Their Injury Risk)
Ultimate Frisbee
- Due to frequent cutting, jumping, and diving for the disc, ultimate frisbee players can sustain ankle sprains, knee ligament tears, and shoulder dislocations.
Soccer
- Soccer players are prone to hamstring strains, ACL tears, and concussions due to sudden sprints, rapid direction changes, and high-contact play.
Spring Hockey
Spring hockey players often experience groin strains, knee ligament injuries, and rotator cuff strains from repetitive skating motions, quick stops, and body checks.
Surgery and Sports Injuries: What You Need To Know
If you’ve suffered a major injury like the ones listed above, you might be worried surgery is your only option. However, you may actually be able to delay your surgery–or avoid it altogether.
Most orthopedic surgeries, such as ligament or rotator cuff repairs, are not urgent or emergencies. Although there can be exceptions (such as with a broken bone or dislocated shoulder), there is usually a significant period of time between diagnosis and surgery.
Unfortunately, athletes are notorious for ignoring aches and pains after an injury, thinking they will go away on their own, only to discover that those early warning signs were the body’s signals to get help. Rest, avoidance, and trying to ignore or push through pain only lead to a bigger, often more complex problem.
That’s where physiotherapy comes in.
Finding Relief After an Injury with Physiotherapy
At South Sherbrook Therapy, our physiotherapists will weed through your symptoms and identify the root cause of your particular situation. We will give you the tools to prevent, delay, or prepare for surgery.
We’ll guide you through a gradual progression to make sure you are ready to return without any limitations or impairments standing in your way. This cautious approach ensures a safer and more effective recovery process.
Rather than a “one-size-fits-all approach,” we believe every patient is unique and deserves a program tailored to their specific situation and goals. You are not merely treated but are guided towards a pathway of enhanced performance and overall well-being.
What to Expect at Your Physiotherapy Sessions
Rehabilitation should start immediately following most injuries to ensure the fastest recovery possible. One of our physiotherapists will thoroughly evaluate your injury’s severity and identify any other weaknesses or limitations that may affect your recovery, stability, or strength.
Next, your therapist will create a targeted, individualized plan of care to facilitate recovery and help prevent future injuries. Our goal is to minimize the risk of needing surgery so you can get back to training and competing in the sport you love, whether you’re flinging a frisbee or maneuvering a soccer ball.
For example, your physiotherapist might start by managing pain and restoring mobility to the injured area. Next, we will focus on progressing your strength and dynamic stability exercises to restore function and prevent injuries. We will also incorporate balance and coordination exercises to stimulate the nervous system and help ensure you can run, jump, and cut to change direction, land in the correct position, and avoid future injuries. Physiotherapy at South Sherbrook Therapy will provide the foundation for successful training while reducing future injuries and avoiding surgery.
Considering Physiotherapy? Get Started Today!
Navigating the road to recovery and returning to sports like soccer, ultimate frisbee, or hockey can be tricky, especially if you’ve suffered a major injury. Fortunately, our seasoned physiotherapists can help guide you every step of the way.
With years of experience working with athletes, we’ve rehabilitated many individuals post-injury, helping them avoid surgery and ensuring a smooth transition back to the sports they love.
Whether you’re on the brink of surgery or hoping to prevent it, our therapists will create a program specifically tailored to your unique needs. Reach out to our clinic to learn more!
Contact Us Today To Get Started!
The South Sherbrook Therapy team will help you understand the particulars of your upper body pain and provide the tools you need to address it. Call us today to set up an initial appointment.
Spring Is Running Season! Are You In Your Best Shape?
Are you looking forward to starting running again after a long winter? At South Sherbrook Therapy, our therapists understand running injuries, and we will make sure you run pain-free this spring!
Runners are often misled into believing unproven solutions to avoiding pain and injury. Not many people know that the number-one risk factor for runners to sustain an injury is having had an injury in the last 12 months.
The other most common risk factors are:
- Running experience of 0–2 years
- Restarting running after extended rest
- Overtraining (i.e., more than 40 miles per week)
To ensure you can get back to running or increasing your mileage without pain or injury, start with an injury evaluation and a biomechanical assessment to identify any factors that could contribute to pain or injury.
Our therapists will take a thorough history to understand your training schedule, previous injuries, and overall health status. We use this information to create an individualized program to alleviate pain and get you back to running without limits.
Request an appointment at South Sherbrook Therapy today!
“Stephanie is really good at her job. I had issues with my knee and just after a few days of exercises, I saw a massive improvement in the symptoms.”
-M.S.
Slow Cooker Irish Stew
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, or to taste
- 2 pounds beef chuck roast
- 3 russet potatoes, diced
- 1 pound baby carrots
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (16 ounce) bottle stout beer
- 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- salt and ground black pepper
Directions:
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add beef; cook until evenly browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Place potatoes, carrots, onion, and garlic in a slow cooker; top with browned beef. Pour 1/4 cup beer into the same skillet and bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits of beef off of the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon. Stir in tomato paste; cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Pour beer mixture into slow cooker. Pour beef broth, remaining beer, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper into slow cooker. Cook on Low for 8 hours.