Services
Physiotherapy Treatment for Sports Injuries
Sport physiotherapy focuses on preventing, diagnosing, and treating sports-related injuries. It involves tailored rehabilitation to enhance performance and facilitate recovery.
What is Sports Physiotherapy?
Sports physiotherapy is a specialized field that concentrates on the prevention, treatment, and management of injuries related to sports and exercise.
Sports physiotherapists possess unique training and experience tailored to working with athletes and active individuals. They understand the specific physical demands that various sports and exercise routines place on the body, allowing them to provide targeted care and effective rehabilitation strategies.
How does it differ from regular physiotherapy?
The primary distinction between regular physiotherapy and sports physiotherapy lies in the treatment focus. Regular physiotherapy addresses a broad spectrum of physical issues, while sports physiotherapy is specifically designed for the needs of athletes and active individuals. Sports physiotherapists utilize targeted techniques and exercise programs aimed at helping athletes recover from injuries and safely return to their sport as quickly as possible.
Additionally, sports physiotherapy often includes injury prevention strategies, such as educating athletes on effective warm-up and cool-down routines, enhancing biomechanics, and offering guidance on suitable training programs.
In summary, although both regular and sports physiotherapy share similar techniques and objectives, sports physiotherapy is a specialized field that caters specifically to the unique requirements of athletes and active individuals.
What are the common causes of Sports Injuries?
Sports injuries can arise from various factors, including overuse, improper technique, insufficient warm-up, and accidents.
Overuse or Repetitive Strain
This type of injury occurs when an athlete repeatedly performs the same movements, leading to gradual damage to muscles, tendons, and joints over time. It is common in sports such as running, swimming, and weightlifting, where athletes engage in repetitive motions.
Poor Technique
When athletes lack proper guidance on safe performance techniques, they may develop poor habits that heighten their risk of injury. Inadequate conditioning, insufficient warm-ups, and improper stretching can also contribute to the likelihood of injuries.
Accidents and Collisions
These injuries are often sudden and traumatic, typically occurring during collisions, falls, or impacts from equipment. Common examples include concussions, fractures, and dislocations.
Poor Equipment
Worn-out or poorly fitting equipment can also elevate the risk of injuries. For instance, shoes that don’t fit properly may lead to blisters, while using a racket that’s too heavy can result in shoulder injuries.
Common Sports Injuries that we treat
Shin Splints
Shin splints refer to pain along the shinbone, typically manifesting on either the inner or outer borders where the muscles attach. This condition is common in activities involving high-impact or repetitive motion, such as running. Military recruits undergoing Basic Military Training (BMT) are also at increased risk for developing shin splints.
Symptoms of Shin Splints
Unsure if you have shin splints? Here are some common symptoms to look out for:
- Dull, achy pain in the lower two-thirds of the shin.
- Tight, achy discomfort along the muscles on the outer border of the shin.
- Pain patterns may vary among individuals; some may experience pain at the start of their run, while others may feel it after running for a specific duration.
- Mild swelling may occur, and the shin area can be tender to touch following physical activity, lasting for several days and often improving with rest.
- Pain typically returns when resuming activities like running for extended periods (beyond 30 minutes).
ACL Injury
Experiencing a sensation of your knee “giving way” or “locking” is a common issue among athletes, particularly those involved in sports like basketball, netball, soccer, or badminton. The feeling of the knee giving way may indicate a possible Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tear, while the locking sensation could suggest a meniscus tear.
The ACL is a robust ligament located within the knee joint, primarily responsible for preventing the forward movement (anterior translation) of the tibia (shinbone) relative to the femur (thigh bone).
Athletes often place their ACL at risk during quick direction changes or when twisting their knees inward. This motion increases strain on the ligament, potentially leading to a tear, especially if the knee is forced downward and inward beyond the ligament’s capacity. Many athletes report hearing a “pop” at the moment of injury.
Unfortunately, an ACL tear seldom occurs in isolation. It is frequently accompanied by a minor tear in the Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) and either a medial or lateral meniscus (cartilage) tear. Together, these injuries are commonly referred to as the “Unhappy Triad” or “Terrible Triad.”
Tennis Elbow
Tennis Elbow occurs when the tendons of the forearm muscles repeatedly rub against the bony prominence at the elbow, known as the lateral epicondyle, during the bending and straightening of the arm.
Think of it like a tight rope being repeatedly dragged over a rough surface—over time, the fibers begin to fray and ultimately fail. This process mirrors the degeneration seen in conditions like Tennis Elbow.
As a result, micro-tears form in the tendon, leading to inflammation and pain.
Sprains and Strains
The ankle is a frequent site for acute musculoskeletal injuries, with inversion ankle sprains accounting for a significant percentage of these injuries—approximately 75%. Among athletes, these sprains are particularly common yet often receive inadequate or no treatment. This neglect can lead to lasting weakness, joint instability, and recurrent sprains. This article will explore the most prevalent ankle injury and its acute management.
Inversion Ankle Sprain
Inversion ankle sprains occur when the foot twists inward or outward at an abnormal angle in relation to the ankle. The typical mechanism for this injury involves a combination of plantar flexion (foot pointing downward) and inversion (foot turning inward).
Rotator Cuff Injuries
The rotator cuff is the most commonly affected area in shoulder sports injuries. Comprised of the tendons from four muscles—supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis—this group not only facilitates a wide range of shoulder movements but also provides stability to the joint.
Unfortunately, the rotator cuff is prone to injuries such as tears, tendonitis, impingement, bursitis, and strains. The tendons of the rotator cuff attach to the humerus (the arm bone), and injuries typically involve these tendinous portions.
There are two main types of tendon tears:
Chronic Tear
Chronic tears occur due to repetitive use injuries, where ongoing activities gradually damage the rotator cuff tendons. Over time, these tendons can thin out, leading to a tear. Patients with chronic injuries often report shoulder bursitis before developing a tear. This type of injury is common among individuals engaged in occupations or sports that require frequent overhead movements, such as painters, tennis players, and baseball pitchers.
Acute Tear
Acute tears result from traumatic injuries, such as falling onto an outstretched hand. These events can cause immediate tearing of the tendons. While acute tears are less common than chronic tears, if they occur in individuals under 60 years old, they are usually linked to a traumatic incident.
What are the treatment methods that we will use?
Manual Therapy
Manual therapy is an effective approach for managing sports injuries, offering benefits like pain reduction, improved range of motion, enhanced healing, and injury prevention. Techniques such as joint mobilization and massage therapy play a crucial role in helping athletes recover more quickly and safely resume their activities.
Exercise Therapy
Our team of exercise specialists collaborates closely with our physiotherapists to create a personalized exercise program tailored to your specific injury and goals. These exercises are designed to help you regain strength, flexibility, and endurance.
Education & Biomechanics Correction
Our physiotherapist will assess the underlying cause of your injury and guide you in proper techniques, posture, and movement patterns to help prevent future injuries.
Dry Needling
In sports physiotherapy, dry needling is frequently utilized to address muscle strains, sprains, tendonitis, and other soft tissue injuries common in athletic activities. This technique targets trigger points and tight muscle bands, helping to relieve pain, improve range of motion, and boost overall athletic performance.
Office
279 Tanjong Katong Road
Singapore 437062
Monday to Friday : 9am – 8pm
Saturday : 10am – 7pm
Sunday : 10am – 6pm
Services
Knee Pain
Shoulder Pain
Neck Pain
Elbow and Wrist Pain
Ankle and Foot Pain
Stretch Therapy
Sports Therapy
Women's Health
Contact
(+65) 9007 1085
hello@nofrillsphysiotherapy.com
Address: 279 Tanjong Katong Road
Singapore 437062
Other Physiotherapy Services
Shockwave Therapy
Dry Needling
Sports Massage
Functional Fitness
Workplace Health