We all know that physiotherapy aims to repair and restore people’s physical mobility. Now, depending on the patient, it is necessary to carry out one technique or another in order to improve physical health . Throughout this article we will focus on the physiotherapy treatments most used in athletes .
Injuries in athletes
Athletes tend to have very specific injuries due to the activity they perform on a daily basis. Next, we explain the most common ones.
Ankle sprain
This injury is very common in sports practice , but also in daily activity. In most cases it occurs due to an inward movement of the foot that causes tension on the ligaments. The sprain can be mild when there are micro tears in the ligaments . It is moderate when there is a partial tear in the ligaments. Finally, it is serious when the ligaments are totally torn. The most common symptoms are bruising and pain .
Muscle strain
It consists of the breaking of the fibers that make up the muscle. A muscle tear or fiber break can be caused by a blow or contusion, or by a sudden contraction of the muscle. Its severity is mainly determined by the number of muscle fibers torn in the injury. The main symptom is sudden, sharp, localized pain .
Tendinopathies
Popularly known as tendinitis , they consist of chronic inflammation of the tendon. Symptoms are pain, swelling, and loss of mobility .
Muscle cramps
Cramps are muscle spasms that occur primarily due to overactivity of the muscle. For example, they can take place when performing physical exercise, as well as due to the lack of replacement of salts . Therefore, if we perform more intense physical activity than usual and we do not have good hydration, it is highly likely that we suffer from them. Now, they can also be associated with pregnancy, vascular diseases or endocrine diseases.
Fractures
It is perhaps the most serious injury that can affect the bone. The most common causes of fractures are a fall or excessive muscle activity that lasts over time. In most cases, immobilization, rest and rehabilitation are required, as well as in the most severe cases, surgery.
Physiotherapy treatments most used in athletes
There are several and very diverse physiotherapy treatments most used in athletes . We will find many of them at the Lepol Clinic in Zaragoza. Its professionals adjust to the demands of modern life and attend to each case individually. Each of them has the necessary training and experience to offer solutions to any sports injury.
Cryotherapy
Within cryotherapy are ice massage (post-competition), immersion baths , cryo-saunas and cold jet applications. The best results are obtained with immersion baths, cold showers and post-competition massage with ice. The duration of the application should not exceed 10 minutes.
Functional bandage
With this technique we will be able to limit the mobility of the injured tissue without affecting functionality . In this way, all the inconveniences derived from strict immobilization are avoided, improving subsequent mobilization and the quality of scar tissue.
In fibrillar tears and capsulo-ligamentous injuries, the bandage will limit the elongation of the injured structure. Consequently, there will be a reduction in recovery times .
Electrotherapy
When we apply an electrotherapy technique we are acting directly at the cellular level and on the interstitial fluid . Thus, we can accelerate tissue restoration processes and their functions that would otherwise be practically impossible to achieve.
Manual lymphatic drainage
With this practice, the lymphatic elimination of the remains of cells and injured tissues is favored . In this way, encapsulation and possible fibrosis are avoided.
Sports massage
Sports massage techniques seek among other objectives to optimize muscle performance and prevent injuries. They are also intended to find injuries and increase work capacity.
This specific type of massage works by activating the circulation of fluids, accelerating the elimination of waste, toxins and other waste materials, as well as increasing oxygenation of the muscle.
Sports Kinesitherapy
Kinesitherapy uses manual or mechanical methods, whether active or passive, such as elongation, mobilization or proprioception. These techniques affect both recovery and injury prevention.
