Exercise and Fitness
Top 3 Physiotherapy Treatments for Sports Performance
by Jeff Richards
Everyone wants to perform at their best, right? Are you always seeking to be at your best when playing sport? Do you wish you could perform like a professional? You may not have the free time, skill, or even money (unfortunately) to be as good as the best but you can always be a better version of yourself.
Recovery is as important as your training and exercise. Cabot Physiotherapy recommends that if you don’t recover then you can’t perform. It’s as simple as that. You may not have a specialist team of medical professionals who are there to care for all of your needs around the clock like the professionals, but there is some great stuff you can be doing to help you be stronger, quicker and better in your sport.
What do you do to recover? If you are exercising regularly you should be getting optimum hydration, nutrition and a good amount of sleep. These things are cornerstones of recovery and performance! If you’re serious about performing better in sport, there’s something else you can do….physiotherapy?
Here are our top 3 treatments and how they help you perform better in your exercise, sport or even at work – brought to you by Emerald Hills Physio!
- Sports Massage – the clue is in the name – a specific type of massage designed as treating your soft tissues. Break down scar tissue, improve your range of motion and reduce areas of tightness!
- Spinal Mobilisation – if your exercise or work involves repetitive positions, you might stiffness and restriction building up in your spine. Over time this can lead to injury. Treatment to mobilise your spine helps your movement improve and also reduces the chances of future injury!
- Acupuncture – a great way to recover and relax. A session of acupuncture has a relaxing effect on the central nervous system and allows you to deeply relax, reduce overall soft tissue tightness and achieve a deep state of relaxation. Especially handy if you have had a hard week of training!
Evergreen Rehab & Wellness recommends having a regular maintenance routine is one of the best ways to manage your recovery and ensure better performance. Plan your treatments ahead of schedule and make sure they fit with your exercise regime. The main benefits of regular physiotherapy treatment will show in your sporting performance as they produce these top benefits:
- Reduced pain and tightness
- Improved joint range of motion
- Reduced fatigue
The more free, loose and unrestricted your body is feeling, then the better you are going to perform. This is the benefit that treatment gives our bodies. Not having treatment can often lead you into your next session feeling tired, tight and this greatly increases the chances of an injury occurring. Repetitive routines and the same movements performed over and over again in sport can lead to imbalance developing in the body. Great examples within sport are tennis players with one sided upper limb problems and cyclists with stiffness in their backs due to the time they spent bent over in a flexed position. All sports have aspects of them which will tire and wear down your body state. If you want to play for longer, avoid injury and be in better condition in the future then you should pay your body the attention it needs, consider physiotherapy treatments at Gesund on a regular basis.
Your body is a machine, just like a car, which is designed for movement. You wouldn’t fail to maintain your car? It wouldn’t work properly otherwise. So remember, get good sleep, optimal nutrition and hydration, perform varied activity and think about what treatments will be best to take care of your muscles, bones and joints.
About the Author
Toronto native Jeff has always had a love for writing. He first found this love in high school when he wrote articles for his fellow peers in the school newspaper. Since then, Jeff has successfully published two books, the first of which was published shortly after receiving his master’s degree in literature. With plans to write another book, Jeff’s passion for storytelling still continues more and more every day.
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