Whilst there are many health benefits from keeping active, occasionally injuries can occur. Whether this is from an impact injury in contact sports or from an overuse, lack of physical conditioning/preparation, it is important to get advice on the management. Roy Knightbridge has been away recently in his role as consultant osteopath on the DP World Golf Tour as part of the European Tour Performance Institute (ETPI). Within the golfing population, the most common injuries seen are Low Back, Neck and Upper limb injuries, particularly the wrist and shoulder.
Below are a couple of tables that show common injuries across different sports as examples
The Role of Osteopaths in Sports Injuries.
Diagnosis
A Consultation with an Osteopath can help to get an accurate diagnosis of your injury. With a detailed understanding of anatomy and how the body’s mechanics work, they are very well informed to accurately diagnose your sports injury. By identifying the root cause of an issue, they can create a personalised treatment plan just for you.
Rehabilitation
Osteopaths help you to improve your strength, flexibility and range of motion by prescribing specific exercises designed to help you regain functionality and help prevent future injuries. These exercises may be directed at range of movement, mobility, flexibility and strengthening and will be able to put together a detailed plan for you as part of your treatment plan and future management.
Manual Therapy
Hands-on techniques used by osteopaths aim to enhance circulation and reduce inflammation in soft tissues, joints, and muscles. This kind of therapy helps to restore proper function of the affected area and enhance the overall healing process. This may include massage, stretching, mobilisation and manipulation (HVLA techniques) where appropriate.
Injury Prevention
By assessing posture, movement, and imbalances, osteopaths can give guidance on how to prevent sports injuries. Often, preventative measures and proper training techniques can reduce the risk of sports injuries happening.
Both Roy & Arabella are very experienced in dealing with Sports Injuries, so would be happy to have a consultation with you if you need any advice.
