Sports injuries can affect everyone from complete beginners to experienced and competitive athletes. They may happen suddenly following a specific incident, or develop gradually as the demands of training or activity increase.
At Corsham Physiotherapy, we will assess your injury, symptoms, movement and the demands of your particular sport or activity. Treatment will be tailored to you, with the initial aim of relieving your symptoms and supporting the healing of injured tissues where appropriate, before progressing your rehabilitation and helping you return safely and confidently to activity.
Sports injuries we treat
We see injuries from a wide variety of sports and activities, from recreational exercise through to competitive sport.
Some of the sports injuries we commonly treat include:
Achilles tendinopathy • Ankle sprains • Runner’s knee • Shin splints • Hamstring and other muscle strains • Groin injuries • Shoulder injuries • Tennis and golfer’s elbow • Ligament injuries • Tendon problems • Back pain during sport • Stress fractures and other fractures
Acute sports injuries
Some sports injuries happen suddenly, such as a sprained ankle, muscle strain or ligament injury.
An early assessment can help establish the likely nature of the injury and how it should initially be managed. Treatment will depend on the injury and stage of healing, with the aim of helping to settle symptoms, support recovery and maintain movement where appropriate.
Rehabilitation can then be progressed as the injury heals, gradually rebuilding movement, strength and function in preparation for returning to your usual activity or sport.
Overuse & recurring sports injuries
Not all sports injuries happen suddenly. Problems such as Achilles Tendinopathy, shin splints, Runner’s Knee and other tendon or joint problems can develop gradually, particularly when training or activity levels change.
In these cases, we can look at factors such as movement, strength, training demands and how your body is responding to load. Treatment can initially help settle symptoms and support tissue healing before rehabilitation is gradually progressed.
Stress fractures & fracture healing
Stress fractures can occur when repeated loading exceeds the bone’s ability to adapt and recover. Other fractures may happen following a more significant sporting injury.
Once a fracture has been appropriately diagnosed, physiotherapy can play a role at different stages of recovery. We also offer our specialist Acute Fracture Healing service, using treatments aimed at supporting the body’s healing process following a diagnosed fracture.
Read more about Stress Fractures
Read more about Acute Fracture Healing
How can physiotherapy help a sports injury?
Your treatment will depend on your injury, symptoms, stage of healing and individual goals.
Our initial priority is often to help relieve pain and symptoms and, where appropriate, support the healing of injured tissues. Treatment may include hands-on techniques, supports or taping, movement and individually tailored exercises, alongside treatments such as medical acupuncture, electrotherapy, therapeutic laser or shockwave therapy where appropriate.
As your symptoms settle and the injury heals, rehabilitation can be progressed to restore movement, rebuild strength and gradually prepare your body for the demands of your particular sport.
Where appropriate, we can also look at factors such as movement, strength, biomechanics and training demands that may have contributed to the injury, with the aim of reducing the likelihood of the problem recurring.
Read more about Exercise & Rehabilitation
Returning to sport after injury
Feeling less pain doesn’t always mean that you’re ready to return immediately to your previous level of sport.
Rehabilitation can help bridge the gap between recovering from an injury and being ready for the demands of training and competition. Depending on your sport and goals, this may involve progressively rebuilding strength, movement, balance, control and tolerance to sporting activity.
Your rehabilitation can be progressed according to what you want to get back to, whether that’s recreational exercise, running, gym training or competitive sport.
Read more about Exercise & Rehabilitation
Treatment around Training & Competition
We understand that stopping your sport completely isn’t always a realistic option. If you have an important competition, event or period of the season approaching, you may decide that your immediate priority is to manage your symptoms and remain able to compete.
Where it is appropriate to do so, we can work with you to help settle your symptoms and support you through this period and sometimes, quite literally, “patching you up” to keep you going.
This isn’t necessarily the end of your treatment. Once your competition or season is over, we can then focus more fully on recovery and rehabilitation, addressing any underlying or contributing factors and building strength in preparation for your next season or event.
There will, of course, be occasions where continuing to compete could risk significantly worsening an injury. If we have concerns, we will discuss these with you so that you can make an informed decision.
Gait Analysis for Sports Injuries
For running-related injuries, gait analysis may provide useful additional information about how you move and how your body responds to the demands of running.
Where appropriate, this can form part of your assessment and help inform your treatment and rehabilitation.
Sports Massage & Ongoing Maintenance
You don’t need to be injured to benefit from sports massage. Some people choose to have regular massage alongside their training to help ease muscular tightness and stiffness and keep them feeling comfortable between training sessions or competitions.
Sports massage can also be useful when minor muscular aches and tightness start to develop. If you have a new injury, persistent pain or symptoms that need diagnosing, however, we would usually recommend a physiotherapy assessment first.
Read more about sports massage
Book an Appointment for a sports injury
Whether you have a new injury, a problem that has developed gradually or an injury that keeps returning, our physiotherapists can assess your symptoms and help you plan the most appropriate treatment and rehabilitation.
Please either contact our reception or book online to make an appointment.