Sports Injury Treatment and Rehabilitation
Introduction
No matter what level of sport you play, unfortunate injuries can prevent you playing or severely impair your performance. Sports injuries need to be diagnosed and treated effectively, ideally within 24 hours.
The treatment aim is to reduce pain and swelling and achieve full recovery in the safest but shortest possible time.
Exercise is a vital part of the rehabilitation process for most sporting injuries. The idea that a player is completely cured once the treatment on the therapist's couch is over is simply not true. Instead, when a player visits a therapist, in conjunction with receiving a course of treatment, they will be set specific strengthening and flexibility exercises. Exercises are included in rehabilitation programs to ensure the injury site returns to a fully functional state and the original cause of injury is eliminated.
Because exercise is intrinsic to the rehabilitation process, coaches need to be aware that they have a significant part to play in helping players back to full fitness.
