By Jackson McKellar

When sustaining an injury playing sport, the most common thought for most is to rest it and then see how it goes. This is absolutely the biggest mistake we find our new clients have made prior to seeing us and the flow on implications of this for those that do this are reduced confidence when returning to their chosen sport or activity and in some cases re-injuries and/or worsening of the original injury.

Have you ever suffered what felt like a minor injury playing sport and at the time you thought you could manage it on your own with rest and time off? Don’t worry your not alone! Although some people get away with this (not many) most don’t.

Perhaps one week you felt a pull or tightness in your ‘hammy’ that you thought would be fine to train and play with the following week, instead you felt even a bigger pull the following week that resulted in you being out for six weeks! Well this article will likely resonate with you!

“A large amount of sports injuries sustained in the community aren’t managed correctly and often result in longer times away from sport than what they need!”

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When you sustain an injury such as a muscle strain or a ligament sprain there is a degree of ‘repair’ that has to happen before you’re ready to go back to sport. The common thought is that for minor injuries, rest is all that is needed. Unfortunately this simply isn’t true! Many recreational and amateur athletes poorly manage their minor injuries which in turn, often creates a bigger injury and longer time away from sport. Whilst rest can be helpful, preparing the body to return to activity and sport is essential and this is where professional help with recommended.

Having your injury assessed by a Sport’s Physiotherapist improves your confidence and provides clarity on the appropriate steps that are needed to be achieved before you return to sport. Injuries that seem minor in nature may not be able to cope with the demands of your sport and that’s where your Physiotherapist will provide absolute clarity on how much time you need to address everything and what you can be doing in the meantime to make yourself stronger and ready to return to sport or your chosen activity.

With participation opportunities in sport being down over the past few years, why would you want to miss more time than necessary?

Injuries happen and are a common part of sport. This especially rings true due to the long breaks from COVID-19 lock downs. Being able to participate in sport improves mental health and provides a sense of connection with our team mates. When you’re injured it’s common to feel a sense of frustration and we see this every day in the clients that present to us at the clinic. Fortunately we can quickly turn the negative into a positive by setting up a clear plan to get our clients back to activity and sport with confidence in the quickest possible time with clear, individualised plans.

If you’ve suffered an injury playing sport don’t wait! Give our friendly team a call on 03 9370 0345 or click below to book in a time.

Book In Sports Physiotherapist Appointment Now