How Can Physical Therapy Speed Recovery From a Sports Injury? A Pain Management Specialist Explains
July 28, 2022
A sports injury is an unexpected and painful derailment from an activity that you really enjoy. One moment you’re swinging your club with confidence, and the next your back seizes and you’re riding the golf cart for the rest of your round. While sports injuries are inconvenient, they are also easily treated with pain medicine treatments and a quality physical therapy routine. How can physical therapy speed recovery from a sports injury? In addition to building strength in the injured area through exercise programs, a physical therapist also uses treatments to relieve pain and decrease swelling.
At Pain Treatment Specialists, our team of nationally recognized pain specialists work in conjunction with physical therapists to build a customized treatment plan for your sports injury. Our goal is to help you recover quickly, increase your range of motion, and have you return to your sport in excellent shape. Book an appointment at one of our pain clinics in NYC, northern NJ, or Long Island and see how our team of pain management experts put you on the road to recovery.
How Can Physical Therapy Speed Recovery From a Sports Injury?
Major injuries such as a torn ACL or broken bone need immediate medical attention. If you think that you’ve suffered a major injury while playing sports, you should not delay seeking medical care. However, minor injuries such as strains, sprains, or overused muscles may also require medical attention if they last longer than a few days or are causing you to skip your regular exercise programs or sports. At Pain Treatment Specialists, we specialize in minimally invasive treatments that relieve your pain, which then allows you to complete a physical therapy routine.
How can physical therapy speed recovery from a sports injury? First, you’ll visit Pain Treatment Specialists for a consultation, where your sports injury is properly diagnosed. Then, your back pain doctor crafts a customized treatment plan that treats your injury, and reduces your pain and swelling. This is critical before beginning your PT sessions, since you’ll need to have the ability to complete specific stretches or exercises during your treatments. If you’re still in so much pain that you’re unable to complete the routines, then PT isn’t quite as effective. During your physical therapy sessions, you’ll work on exercises that build strength around the injury. This is preventative, as it helps you avoid the same injury in the future. For example, if you’ve strained your lower back, working on your core muscles helps you rely less on your lower back and more on your stomach muscles for control.
Physical therapy, in conjunction with pain medicine, is an excellent tool for recovering from a sports injury. Schedule an appointment at Pain Treatment Specialists and begin healing from your back pain, knee pain, shoulder pain, or hip pain.
What Other Treatments are Effective for a Sports Injury?
Playing sports means that you’re more likely to suffer a common sports injury like jumper’s knee, shoulder impingement, or lower back pain. In addition to physical therapy, pain medicine treatments at Pain Treatment Specialists are highly effective at treating the pain and swelling associated with these conditions. Some of the interventional pain medicine treatments offered at our pain clinics include:
- Steroid Injections: This treatment is highly effective for shoulder pain when used in conjunction with physical therapy. A steroid injection quickly relieves pain and swelling due to overuse. During this treatment, your pain management doctor injects the steroids in the shoulder bursa area, just above the tendon. Once your shoulder pain eases, you’re able to complete physical therapy to fully rehabilitate your shoulder.
- Hyaluronic Acid Injections: Your knee joints lose fluid as we age, which causes pain, rubbing, and friction in your knees. Hyaluronic acid is the main component of joint fluid, and this treatment supplements your body’s natural supply. The outcome is a knee that moves easily and without pain.
- Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy: Also known as PRP, this treatment uses your own blood platelets to encourage healthy growth and repair. How does this work? Platelets contain growth factors that help your body heal and also reduce inflammation. This cutting-edge procedure is completed right in our pain clinics and has almost no side effects.
Schedule a consultation at Pain Treatment Specialists and meet with back and knee pain doctors who know how to best treat your sports injury. You’ll leave our pain clinics feeling refreshed and ready to return to your favorite sport.
How Can I Care for the Injured Area At Home?
At-home pain treatments help keep pain and swelling under control. Our pain management doctors recommend the following steps for treating your sports injury:
- RICE: Standing for “rest, ice, compress, and elevate” this acronym is a common template for treating a sports injury. Rest the injured area by avoiding your normal sports or exercise programs, and opt for less intense movement. For example, instead of running, perhaps you take a walk around the block. Ice the area in 20-minute intervals, and elevate with a pillow or chair whenever possible. Compress the area with a bandage or brace to provide additional support.
- Use OTC Medicines: Over-the-counter medicines such as aspirin or ibuprofen provide pain relief. Do not exceed the daily dosage recommended on the packaging.
Don’t let your sports injury keep you on the golf cart for the remainder of the summer! Contact Pain Treatment Specialists and find highly effective solutions for your sports injury.
Book a Consultation
Scheduling a consultation with one of our pain treatment specialists is one of the best ways to determine the proper solution for pain relief.
Meet our Harvard trained team
Dr. George Hanna
Harvard Medical School | NY & NJ Pain Specialist
Dr. Hanna received his undergraduate degree from Cornell University and his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He completed anesthesiology residency at Massachusetts General Hospital – Harvard Medical School and a pain management fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital – Harvard Medical School. Dr. Hanna was then appointed Clinical Instructor of Anesthesia at Harvard Medical School – training new graduates for over 3 years in anesthesiology and pain management techniques at Massachusetts General Hospital.
