Sport is a large part of Australian life and a great way to stay fit and healthy. However, whether you play social sport or are a high-level athlete, injuries can prevent you from playing the sport you love. 

Sports injuries can be caused by different factors. They can begin as ‘niggles’ that just won’t go away, or be caused by long-standing muscular tightness, muscle weakness or lack of flexibility. Direct trauma from a collision with another player, twisting a planted foot or falling could also be a cause. 

Peripheral joints such as the knee, shoulder, elbow, wrist and ankle are commonly affected. However, it is also important to consider the back and neck during sporting activities as these provide a stable base for other peripheral joints to function.

Physiotherapists are trained to identify the cause of an injury. They can assess movement, strength and flexibility to determine what may be weak or lacking, and what could have led to the injury. They can then help you build a program that targets your areas of weakness to prevent reinjury. 

Sports physiotherapy can also provide pain relief through targeted treatment. This can vary depending on the nature of the injury, but can include massage, dry needling, joint mobilisation and hot or cold packs. Sports physiotherapists can also give you tips and tricks of what you can do at home to decrease pain and speed up your recovery. 

A useful tool for strengthening and increasing flexibility through sports physiotherapy is Clinical Pilates. Pilates can be targeted to specific deficits that may be limiting your sporting performance or that have caused an injury to occur. Our physiotherapists can create an individualised program that directly targets your individual needs and goals. This program can then be adapted and advanced as you progress to keep you challenged and continue to improve your performance. 

Sports physiotherapy is an important part of maintaining and improving your sporting life. At Life Ready Physio we offer an extensive Sports Physiotherapy program to address your needs. Call our team to book your individualised assessment and work towards living your best sporting life, today.