After experiencing a sports-related injury like a sprain or muscle tear, the affected individual often chooses to heal on their own. Unfortunately, this process can be time-consuming, usually taking several days or weeks for symptoms to show significant improvement.
For busy athletes with busy schedulesor those with more moderate injuries, physical therapy might be their go-to resolution, with the hopes to accelerate the healing process.
Wellness services, too, can offer advantages for those who recently got injured from sports. Here, we’ll dive into sports injury support from both a physical therapy and wellness service perspective and how these two resolutions can offer a comprehensive solution when combined.
Common Types of Sports Injuries
Sports injuries can be quite varied, ranging from mild muscle strains tostress fractures. Other types of sports injuries might include:
- Rotator cuff injuries
- Bone bruises
- Shin splints
- Tendonitis
- Runner’s knee
- Bursitis
- Cervical strains
- Wrist sprains
- Hamstring tear
- Tennis elbow
The worst part? While athletes and fitness enthusiasts of all ages are common targets, you don’t have to be an athlete to experience one of these injuries.
Manual laborers, older adults, people with underlying conditions, and even those with sedentary lifestyles are at risk for the latter injuries.
How Traditional Physical Therapy Addresses Sports Injuries
The primary goal of traditional physical therapy is to restore mobility and function, specifically targeting the injury itself.
Common physical therapy services include manual therapy, stretching, or massage. These evidence-based, medicallyguided movements are provided by a licensed professional and have the potential to improve movement patterns, reduce risk of re-injury, and boost coordination and performance.
Supporting Sports Injuries with Wellness Services from Recovery Lab
Wellness services, on the other hand, can involve both localized and whole-body solutions for injuries. Their primary goal is to execute comprehensive – both mind and body – healing.
Wellness services can reduce pain andinflammation while encouraging rapid tissue healing. However, they can also have other benefits too, like stress relief, improved sleep, better energy and focus, and an enhanced immune system.
These services are provided by trained wellness specialists. Recommended wellness services for sports injuries range from assisted mobility stretching for muscle aches to inflammation-busting cryotherapy. Other services, such as red light therapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy, can energize the body’s healing processes.
Physical Therapy and Wellness Services as a Comprehensive Solution
Sometimes it’s not a matter of picking one or the other. When it comes to sports injuries, one can opt for both physical therapy and wellness recovery.
Choosing to engage in both has the potential to:
- Accelerate healing
- Improve pain management
- Further mitigate inflammation
- Reduce downtime from playing sports
- Promote long-term wellness
A combination of traditional physical therapy and wellness services from Recovery Lab can be especially ideal for athletes, active individuals, or those who experience recurrent or overuse injuries. Those struggling from physical and/or mental setbacks due to a sports-related injury can also benefit from this integrated approach.
Interested in including wellness services alongside traditional physical therapy? Contact Recovery Lab today to set up a visit.
