Osteopathy for Sports Injuries: Your Easy Guide
Is there anything more frustrating than an injury interrupting your active lifestyle? Sports injuries are incredibly common, affecting all levels of fitness and preferred exercise methods, but that doesn’t mean you need to put up with them. There are viable treatments readily available to help you out – and there are likewise solutions to prevent some of those avoidable injuries. It all starts with taking great care of your body, and regular osteopathic care could offer more benefits than you’d think!
This blog explains how osteopathy can act as a solution for many common sports injuries. For personalised health advice, contact our team at Osteos of Noosa today.
What is a ‘Sports Injury’?
This may seem like a silly question, but it’s worth asking. What exactly classifies a sports injury? Ultimately, while achieved through exercise, a sports injury includes any damage to the musculoskeletal system. This includes damage to the bone, joint, ligament, or muscle. No injury is fun to experience, but sports injuries can set you back massively. Be it preventing you from competing or hindering your ongoing progress, injuries can be a source of significant stress for athletes. In some cases, they can even be career-ending.
Common Injuries
You don’t have to be a professional athlete to undergo a sports injury. In fact, even those of us who limit exercise to a light walk can find ourselves overextending our bodies and suddenly nursing an injury. Collisions and direct impacts can cause more severe injuries, but often sports injuries are on a more minor scale. Here are some of the most common examples of sports injuries an osteopath will regularly treat:
Shoulder injuries
Golfer’s elbow
Runner’s knee
Sprains
Strains
Shin splints
Achilles tendonitis
Tennis elbow
Let’s dive into why they happen. Sometimes, it’s an accident. One step wrong could lead to a rolled ankle or unforeseen trauma to a body part. In other cases, it can be a direct result of caring for your body incorrectly. Overuse, a lack of warming up, or pushing yourself too far can all lead to long-term injuries. Minor examples of overuse injuries include shin splints and tennis elbow. For many injured athletes, the cause is a combination of various factors.
How an Osteo Can Help
What makes osteopathy so special is its unique approach to healthcare. An osteo will examine your injury holistically, using their knowledgeable understanding of the body as a cohesive system and its musculoskeletal structures in order to gain a ‘bigger picture’ understanding. They won’t just seek to treat your injury and the ripple effect it could take on your health as a whole. They will also be there to find the root cause of your injury, building you towards a future in which it’s less likely to occur again.
Osteopathy treatment can help you diagnose and manage your injury. An osteopath will conduct a thorough assessment of the injury itself and the way it may be affecting your body holistically, building a tailored treatment plan to promote safe healing.
What to Expect From Osteo Treatment
Working with an osteopath will give you access to a wide range of therapies and treatments. Throughout the assessment, your osteo will be able to recommend the best path forward for treatment. They will work closely with you to build a personalised plan to not only address the specifics of your injury but also your preferences and recovery goals. Some possible treatments you could receive include:
Dry needling to release sensitive trigger points
Increasing blood circulation through cupping
Soft tissue massages for muscle relaxation
Stretching tight muscle to increase mobilisation and flexibility
Benefits of Regular Osteopathy
An osteopath isn’t just there to help out in an emergency. Whether you’re someone starting out on an exercise journey or a professional athlete, there are countless benefits to incorporating osteopathic care into your regular routine. Regular treatment can help prevent injuries from ever occurring in the first place, saving you plenty of time and money down the line. Likewise, an osteo can help identify areas of risk and stop potential injuries from progressing further.
Beyond that, working with an osteopath can better your overall sports performance. They can analyse and assess your movement and mobility, helping you to exercise or compete more successfully and safely for many years to come.
Start Your Osteopathy Journey Today With Osteos of Noosa
Often, injuries occur when we least expect it. It’s comforting to know that there is a reliable clinic nearby you can go to when things get rough. The Noosa osteopathy team is friendly, knowledgeable, and ready to lend a hand whenever you need it! If you’re looking for a trustworthy osteo to treat an injury or provide tailored health advice, don’t wait another moment. Contact us today to book an appointment.