SportsInjuryRecovery

Understanding Sports Injuries

Whether you are a weekend warrior or a competitive athlete, sports injuries are an unfortunate reality. These injuries are broadly categorized into two types: acute injuries (like an ankle sprain or an ACL tear occurring suddenly during play) and overuse injuries (like tennis elbow or runner's knee, which develop gradually over time due to repetitive stress).

Common Sports Injuries We Treat

At Holistic Health Clinic, we have extensive experience rehabilitating a wide spectrum of athletic injuries:

• Ligament Sprains: ACL, MCL, and lateral ankle sprains requiring careful stabilization and proprioceptive retraining.
• Muscle Strains: Hamstring, groin, and calf pulls resulting from sudden acceleration or explosive movements.
• Tendinopathies: Achilles tendinitis, patellar tendinitis (jumper's knee), and epicondylitis resulting from chronic overload.
• Post-Surgical Rehab: Comprehensive recovery programs following meniscus repairs, rotator cuff surgeries, and ligament reconstructions.

The Danger of Returning Too Soon

The most common mistake athletes make is returning to sport the moment the pain subsides. Absence of pain does not equal a healed, stable joint. Returning prematurely drastically increases the risk of re-injury, which is often much more severe than the initial trauma and can lead to chronic, career-ending instability.

Our Athletic Rehabilitation Protocol

Our goal is not just to heal the tissue, but to rebuild the athlete stronger than before. We employ a phased, criteria-driven approach to recovery:

1. Phase 1: Acute Management & Protection: In the initial days post-injury, we focus on controlling inflammation and protecting the healing tissue. We use modalities like cryotherapy, compression, and gentle isometric contractions to prevent muscle atrophy without stressing the injury.
2. Phase 2: Restoring Mobility & Activation: We introduce targeted joint mobilization and active range-of-motion exercises. We also begin "re-wiring" the neuromuscular system, ensuring the correct muscles fire at the correct times.
3. Phase 3: Strength & Hypertrophy: Progressive resistance training is introduced. We rebuild the tensile strength of the injured muscle or ligament, utilizing eccentric loading protocols which are highly effective for tendinopathies.
4. Phase 4: Sport-Specific Plyometrics & Agility: The final, most crucial phase. We simulate the demands of the athlete's specific sport in a controlled environment. This involves jump training, cutting drills, and explosive power work to ensure the joint can handle unpredictable, high-velocity forces before they step back onto the field.

Don't let an injury sideline you permanently. Expert sports physiotherapy bridges the gap between the treatment table and the playing field.