By in Sports Injury

How Often Should You Seek Treatment at a Sports Injury Clinic?

Injury prevention is always better than injury treatment. The advice given below is for different target groups on how often to see a sports injury therapist to prevent injury in the most ideal way for you.

Remember, these are only guidelines for the frequency of treatment. Therapy will help you perform in exercise optimally and prevent injury, but it will not make you immune to injury altogether! Always listen to your body; if you feel a complaint spurring up during training, don’t push through it, be sensible about it and realise maybe this time was just too much.

I often get asked in session with clients ‘What would you recommend for regular treatment?’ Well of course I’m inclined to say the more, the better. Obviously, this method doesn’t work for the majority so I’ll try to give you an answer that may suit every category of person.

If you’d say you’re quite athletic and like to participate in exercise regularly, it does depend on how intense you train. For example, if you were a competitive sprinter involved in regular races I would say once/twice a week if possible, the same goes for heavy weightlifters. These sessions will always look at areas that may ache more than other areas, or particular niggles that may be felt. When sprinting or lifting, those small problems are going to be where any potential injuries could occur (often suddenly) so we get on top of them before the worst happens.

A more cardio lifestyle is less likely to have such an acute onset of injury, more likely a slow gradual increase of pain until an injury occurs fully. A jogger may have pain in the Achilles tendon but could take days or even weeks before it’s a debilitating pain. To these types of athletes, I would say once every 2-3 weeks would do the trick.

The sedentary office worker sessions would also benefit from regular treatments.  You may think otherwise but you would be surprised at how sitting at a desk can be detrimental to a person’s posture, especially when working in a stressful environment.  If you feel some neck or back pain spurring up, call your therapist there and then get booked in while it’s still fresh in your head. If you think of the pain and ignore it, you will most likely be reminded when it comes to sleeping (not fun!). Clients in the past who work in offices have presented with carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow or just a bit of lower back pain most of the time. Whatever the problem get it fixed to carry on with your daily living efficiently and comfortably.

Of course please bear in mind that these recommendations are for uninjured individuals. If you feel any problems arising or are already there as constant pain, get on top of them ASAP, they will only get worse!

If you are in any doubt it is always advisable to call a professional therapist because everyone is unique.  Sometimes you may need some stretching or other advice that you can do at home.

Contact me at www.thebodymatters.co.uk for more advice or to book an appointment.

Louise
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