Athletes frequently put their bodies at risk of injury. If a sports injury does occur, it’s crucial to rebuild strength, stability, and flexibility so that you can regain your athletic performance. Functional rehabilitation is an effective strategy to restore the normal function of the spine and joints as you heal from an injury. Athletes can greatly benefit from customized functional rehabilitation programs from the doctors at Wasserman Chiropractic.
Common Sports Injuries
There are several injuries that are particularly common among athletes. Examples of prevalent sports injuries include:
Dislocations
A dislocation occurs when the end of a bone in a joint is forced out of its regular position. Shoulder and knee dislocations are particularly common among athletes.
Tendinitis
Tendinitis occurs when a tendon becomes irritated or inflamed. This is an overuse injury that can affect athletes who frequently put stress on a tendon. Tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, and jumper’s knee are all types of tendinitis that often affect athletes.
Sprains and strains
Sprains and strains are among the most common injuries across all different sports. A sprain occurs when a ligament near a joint is stretched or torn. A strain occurs when a muscle is stretched or torn.
Fractures
Bone fractures are the most prevalent in contact sports, such as football and basketball. The hands, wrists, feet, ankles, and collarbone are the most susceptible to fracture in these sports.
How Rehabilitation Can Help You Heal Faster From a Sports Injury
Functional rehabilitation involves first pinpointing harmful movement patterns caused by an injury, poor posture, and/or training errors. These movement patterns can increase the stress on certain areas of the body, which then increases the risk of re-injury. This is especially true for athletes, who regularly place added stress on their bodies. By identifying poor movement patterns and correcting them with lifestyle recommendations, manual treatments, and functional exercise programs, rehabilitation can put athletes on the path to lasting recovery.
Injuries pose a unique risk to athletes. First, as with any patient, athletes must heal from the injury for pain relief and to overcome any disabilities caused by the injury. But, athletes also need to return to their sport and regain their athletic performance. When athletes return to their sport, there’s also a risk of re-injury.
