It’s hard to watch your favorite player get injured. It’s even harder when you’re the one who gets hurt, especially if you were hoping to participate in the same sport again soon. You might think, “I’ll just take some pain medication and rest for a few weeks, and I’ll be fine.”
While that seems easy, it can cause more problems than it solves. This is not only because taking pain medication is bad for your health but because resting may not do much good. Physical therapy is an effective way to fully recover from sports-related injuries and get back on your feet faster than resting alone ever could!
Why You Shouldn’t Skip Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is an integral part of recovery following a sports injury. It allows you to restore your range of motion and strength and helps you avoid future injuries. However, some athletes skip physical therapy to get back in the game sooner. But this can lead to lasting problems that could have been avoided with patience and dedication.
When looking for a physical therapist, looking for someone in your locality is vital. This will reduce the travel time, which will be helpful since you will be in pain and might not want to travel a lot.
There are many options for finding a physical therapist in your area. You can contact your insurance company and ask them to help you locate a local provider, or you can search Google by typing something like “find a therapist near me.” You might also want to ask friends or family members if they have recommendations for their favorite PTs.
PTs can give you different types of physical wellness therapies. For example, he or she can help you with breathwork. This can help improve oxygen circulation throughout your body for quick recovery. Also, the therapist can leverage dance movement therapy to gradually heal any joint or ligament issues. Moreover, they can also use sensorimotor therapy to observe physical sensations in the body and help you relax.
When a patient skips physical therapy, they may experience several adverse effects.
You Risk Reinjury
Sports injuries are common and can occur repeatedly. According to data, sports injuries increased by 20% in 2021 compared to 2020. Most of these injuries occur during practice. A recent survey shows that around 67.5% of injuries occur during practice, 15.% during prematch practice, and 17.1% during the actual matches.
When sports injuries occur during practice, they may seem minor. However, treating your sports injuries properly is essential to avoid reinjury and further damage. If you ignore the problem, there’s a good chance that it will get worse over time.
Many people may think they’re fine just because they haven’t experienced any severe issues since receiving their initial treatment. However, this is often not the case at all. In fact, most people don’t even realize they need extra help until after their symptoms start worsening again, and then it’s too late.
You Risk Developing Other Problems
The biggest risk of neglecting physical therapy is developing other problems. Injuries can lead to other injuries and surgeries in some cases. This can cause chronic pain in the worst-case scenario, leading to depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems.
For example, a sprained ankle is common in sports. Improper landing on the feet can quickly lead to such a problem. But when left untreated for a long time, the sprained ankle can worsen your body structure. If you continue to play the sport with poor technique or abnormal structure, the minor ankle sprain can lead to other chronic problems, such as back or joint pain.
You Can Lose Muscle and Physical Function
Muscles face the most concentrated sports injury. A recent study states that lumbar muscle strains and ankle sprains are the most common sports injuries.
If you neglect physical therapy, you’ll lose muscle mass and strength. In fact, sports injuries can cause many physical function challenges. For example, data shows that around 9.1% of all spine injuries are related to sports. Muscle tissue is important for maintaining balance and preventing falls in the elderly, and loss of muscle mass can make it harder to do everyday tasks.
Physical therapy is a safe and effective way to regain lost muscle with minimal risk of injury or setback. Physical therapists work with patients to use their muscles properly so they can recover from an injury or surgery faster and more safely than without physical therapy care.
You May Be Prescribed Pain Medication, Which May Cause More Problems Than It Solves
Pain medication can also cause more problems than it solves. You may think taking pain medication is the easiest way to deal with your injury and get back on track, but this is not the case. Pain medications can mask the pain, but they will not solve the problem in the long run.
The downside of using painkillers is that they are addictive and can cause side effects such as nausea and headaches, which will only worsen your injury. According to recent studies, opioid use among professional athletes at any given time has been reported to be between 4.4% and 4.7%. This is a dangerous addiction that must be avoided to preserve an athlete’s quality of life.
You May Develop Unhealthy Compensating Habits
When you’re injured, it can be tempting to do what you can to stay active and work around the pain. But these compensating habits often lead to more injuries down the road, and physical therapy can help correct them.
Here are some examples of unhealthy compensating habits:
- Using your left leg when kicking a ball or running
- Crossing your right foot over your left while walking
- Twisting your wrist while writing with a pen or turning pages in a book
Physical Therapy Is the Most Effective Way to Recover From Sports-Related Injuries
Physical therapy is the most effective way to fully recover from sports-related injuries and get back on your feet faster. It will help you avoid reinjury, other problems like pain medication dependence and decreased mobility, and getting off track in other areas of your life. In fact, supervised physical therapy can be as beneficial as surgery.
Physical therapists are experts in injury rehabilitation who can teach you safe ways to move again and help you avoid pain medication dependence by using alternative forms of therapy such as heat/ice packs or stretches.
Physical therapists have had years of training in anatomy that allows them to understand better how the body works so they can better treat any issues that may arise during treatment. They also have extensive education about proper exercise regimens, which means they know what exercises will benefit each person’s needs based on their injury/condition.
In Conclusion
Hopefully, this article has helped you better understand the importance of physical therapy after a sports injury. If you get back on your feet and resume your favorite activities, it’s crucial to seek the best care possible.