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Football player been carried out the football field by team members after severely injuring his ankle.

Preventing Injuries in Athletes

By Dr. Frankie Goris, PT, DPT

 

How do our bodies get injured? Let me count the ways! However, with the proper knowledge and tactics, many injuries are preventable. That’s why I’m writing today with some tips to help you reduce your risk of injury and to share information about our Balance Assessment & Conditioning programs. At Vale Sports Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy, we understand that staying strong and healthy is crucial to your athletic success. 

Traumatic injuries occur from a force or impact. A sprained ankle, twisted knee, torn ligament, or concussion are some common examples. Overuse injuries are caused by movements that, over time, break down bodily structures. Some causes of overuse injuries include inadequate strength-building preparation for the activity, doing too much too soon, and faulty biomechanical techniques. 

 

Some basic guidelines to help you avoid injury: 

  • Condition your body for your sport or activity, before the season starts. 
  • Don’t suddenly over-train. Work up gradually. 
  • Warm up. Always leave time for 5-10 minutes of low-level cardiovascular activity and stretching exercises.  
  • Use proper equipment in good working order.
  • Learn and practice good bio-mechanical techniques.

 

We know that developing these strategies properly can be difficult. Our certified physical therapists at Scerbo are ready to help you create an effective, targeted conditioning program to increase and maintain your strength and flexibility. Our best recommendation, especially for athletes, is to come in and see us before and during play. 

Despite our best efforts, we sometimes get hurt. If that happens, our physical therapy doctors and certified physical therapists are here to help treat and rehab your injury and return you to regular activity or sports play as soon as possible.

Our state-of-the-art Englewood facility offers the broadest range of treatment options, including balance systems to help improve balance, increase agility, and develop muscle tone. 

Additionally, our assessment for concussion management helps manage specific sports injuries and determine a safe return to play. We also offer a fall risk screening and conditioning program to safely and effectively treat young athletes and post-surgical rehabilitation patients. And athletes, don’t forget to ask us about our Performance Enhancement Training Program, a specialized therapy designed to help you progress from stationary strengthening to the playing field.

So whether you’re training for a 5k or doing your first run of the season and putting your best athletic foot forward, we at Vale Sports Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy are all about helping you prevent injury from happening – and helping you recover when it does.

To make an appointment with one of our physical therapists, call us at (201) 408-4534 or email us at info@valept.com.