Successful management of sports injuries involves:
1. Knowledge of the mechanism of injury. This will not only assist with the initial diagnosis, but it aids the development of prevention strategies to reduce re-injury risk during continued participation in the activity of choice.
2. An accurate diagnosis of the condition or injury allows for correct therapeutic decisions and a realistic prognosis for the patient. This will help the athlete understand progressive treatment goals such as pain control and further injury avoidance, range of motion restoration, strength recovery, and eventual return to play.
3. Early intervention to prevent worsening of an injury, to minimize lost joint mobility/range of motion, and to minimize loss of strength. The longer or more chronic an injury becomes, the longer it takes to address the resulting stiffness and/or pain related to the injury.
4. Biomechanical and functional assessment measures that take into account the requirements of one's specific sport or activity. This helps to define rehabilitation goals and aid in exercise progressions.
5. A graduated and "safe return to play" action plan. Different aspects of the sport will be introduced in a sequential fashion to evaluate tolerance to increasing sport demands while minimizing the risk of re-injury.
6. The development of injury prevention strategies, such as increasing flexibility/mobility of involved joints and tissues, increasing strength in particular muscle groups, and/or learning proper biomechanics. Understanding factors involved in sports injuries is an important component of managing the risk of re-injury.
7. Receiving performance maintenance care, which will assist your own active efforts, to keep you moving and feeling great. |
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