It’s no secret that football is one of the more taxing sports when it comes to wear and tear on the body. Minor injuries are common, but they don’t have to spiral into season-ending injuries if given proper care and recovery time. Football teams of any level and age bracket can benefit from partnering with a physical therapist near me.
Physical therapists are experts at treating and preventing sports injuries. They use clinically proven and advanced recovery methods, rather than outdated strategies or general advice such as resting and icing. Consulting a physical therapist can help football players both on and off the field.
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Improvement On Movement and Performance
While “practice makes perfect” is a common saying, practicing can also reinforce body movements and habits that may hold athletes back. Physical therapists can help football players retrain their bodies to move and play in more optimal ways through simple exercises.
For example, grip strength exercises can help players learn stronger and more stable ways of holding and catching the ball. Flexibility exercises can reduce injury rates by making muscles more pliable, and therefore able to adapt to sudden jerks and jolts. Physical therapy Galloway NJ can help football players make gains in speed, athleticism and coordination.
Speeding Up Recovery
Injuries that keep key players on the sidelines are an unavoidable part of football. However, there are ways to speed recovery in a healthy way and get players back on the field in weeks instead of months or months instead of years.
Expert guidance is crucial for fast recovery. There is a small window between helpful recovery conditioning and pushing an injury too fast too quickly. Physical therapists can use their professional experience to find this exact window, allowing players to move and maintain conditioning while recovering from injuries.
There are also high-tech solutions for improving recovery times. Elite professional and college football teams use physical therapy advancements such as anti-G treadmills and water therapy to help players recover and train despite injuries. These therapies remove the wear and tear of gravity, allowing for cardio exercise without as much stress on a recovering athlete’s joints and muscles.
Treating Injuries With Care
Football players tend to sustain the same injuries multiple times. Every time a ligament or joint suffers a strain, it becomes slightly less stable and prone to future injuries. This can quickly create a vicious cycle of injuring and weakening the same body part.
Physical therapists can help small strains heal without spiraling into larger and more devastating injuries. They can recommend braces and wrapping techniques for recovering joints. They can also strengthen and stabilize injured joints with gentle repetitive movements. A good physical therapist provides each injured player with a personalized recovery timeline that minimizes the risk of re-injury.
Physical therapy isn’t simply a last resort for catastrophic injuries. Football teams in particular should consider working with a local physical therapy Philadelphia provider for minor injuries as well as overall conditioning. Physical therapists can help athletes recover more quickly throughout the season and help prevent more severe injuries.
