If you are an athlete or prefer running workouts, then you must experience an ankle sprain or torn ligament once in a lifetime. Such injuries hinder your performance and require unique therapy even after surgery.
In this regard, a physical therapist rehabilitates you to return to your game without pain. All exercises are planned according to the severity of the trauma. A therapist enables you to learn proper alignment and home gym exercises.
After injury or surgery, the rehabilitation phase often goes hand in hand with strengthening and flexibility exercises. So if you have met any recent trauma or have a past injury, here are five effective physical therapy for athletes that work.
Manual Therapy
Therapeutic exercises
Soft tissue mobilisation
Sport-specific power and strength
Stability and balance training
How can I improve my athlete's ankle flexibility?
Your ankle flexibility is your support system while weight lifting, squatting, running, or kicking during swimming. Because it results in force production and better performance in sports, it prevents ACL injury, whether it's a marathon or a gruelling workout game.
Because ankle flexibility provides a more excellent range of motion to tendons, ligaments, and muscles around the ankle in such a way that they bear sudden changes in direction or speed at greater ease.
There are many ways to improve ankle flexibility. These includes:
Exercises:
Exercise plays a significant role in ankle flexibility. You can perform these exercises under a therapist's supervision or ask a therapist for home gym exercises.
Calf stretch:
Stretching the calf improves the mobility and flexibility of the ankle. You can perform this sitting or lying. Extend the leg straight and pull the foot towards you. Hold it for seven seconds, then relax.
Ankle Circles:
Ankle circles help to improve the range of motion. You can perform them sitting or lying. Put a foam roller or towel under your ankle and move your ankle in a clockwise and anti-clockwise direction ten times.
Ankle Dorsiflexion:
Ankle dorsiflexion uses a stretch band to increase flexibility. Sit on the floor with legs stretched out and tied to a stretch band with one foot. Knot the other side of the bar with a chair. Now point your toes towards you and relax.
Ankle Plantarflexion:
Ankle plantarflexion is resistance training. Sit on a chair with your knees bent. Tie a loop part of the foot and hold both ends of the loop in your hand. Point your toes forward and backward against resistance. Repeat it.
Balance exercises:
Stand on your feet, shoulder-width apart. Now lift your leg and hold it for a few seconds. When you learn this, try to balance with closed eyes, arms at the side, or standing on an unstable surface.
Standing heel lift exercises:
These exercises help to strengthen your muscles. Stand on your feet, shoulder-width apart. Now lift your heels, and balance the balls of your feet. Do three sets of ten repetitions.
Standing on toes while heels drop:
It is designed to increase ankle flexibility. Put your weight on the balls of your feet on the step while your heels hang down. Now stand on your toes and return slowly so your heels drop below the stage. Repeat it.
Toe-heel walk:
This helps to strengthen your ankles and feet. Walk on your toes for 20 feet, then return on heels. Repeat 3-5 times.
Lunges:
Lunges help to strengthen your ankles. It also improves balance. You can make static lunges by placing your feet in front of others and bending your front knee. You can also perform walking lunges as well.
Plyometric exercises:
Plyometric exercises help to reach maximum force as quickly as possible. It involves jumping movements. This helps to withstand sudden movement changes at the ankle. It has
Single Leg hopes:
Double Leg hops
Ankle jumps:
Massage:
Soft tissue massage helps to improve tightness in the ankle muscles. This increases blood circulation and hence reduces swelling and pain.
What are the essential trends in physical therapy?
With the development of medical sciences, the standard of physical therapy for patient care has changed. This new evolution enables physical therapists to make patient care more manageable, with many ways to administer and yield better outcomes.
Some of the latest trends in 2022 involve:
Virtual Reality: Virtual reality is used for improving gait and balance issues in diseases like Parkinson's disease.
Motion Capture Technology: It is a wearable technology in which therapists connect sensors to apps to make personalised plans.
Rehabilitation Robotics: Robotics is in trend nowadays. They are for cognitive, motor skills, and neural rehabilitation post-surgery recovery.
Increased DEI Focus: It involves diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Video Games Technology: Video gaming has taken over physical therapy for the last few years. It is a fun way to do exercise.
Telehealth: During Covid days, telehealth has become trendy. People who are bed-bound or unable to visit the clinic can get their plan on call.
PT Practice Management Software: This software makes PT practice more profitable and less time-consuming. All the data are easily managed in one place.
What are the best physical therapy methods for sports?
There are increased chances of injury during sport as it involves a sudden change in speed and direction of movement. The damage to ankle muscles or rupture of the ACL does not allow you to carry on your game.
Hence the proper treatment is necessary to level up your game. You can start your running workout after rehabilitation. Some of the best physical therapy methods for sports include:
Strength training
Joint manipulation
Therapeutics exercises
Manual therapy
Endurance training
Sport-specific injury prevention
Sport-specific power and strength
Trigger point dry needling
Muscle Energy Technique
PNF
Home gym exercises
Stain-counter strain
Stability and balance training
What is the future of Advanced Physical Therapy?
Advanced physical therapy is a trendy field with much growth potential. The role of physical therapists has evolved from the hands-on treatment of patients to the hands-off management of the patient.
Advanced Physical Therapy deals with the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal injuries. It has been used to treat patients using advanced physical therapy techniques and equipment.
With the advancement of technology, continuous changes occur, and it will be necessary for physical therapists to stay up-to-date with new developments to remain competitive in the marketplace.
For example, many new technologies can be used by advanced physical therapists as well as by other healthcare professionals. There are many ways in which advanced physical therapy can be used.
Rehabilitation using exercises and physical therapy equipment.
Treatment of chronic conditions like arthritis
Treatment of acute conditions such as broken bones.
Final Verdict
After injury or surgery, physical therapy plays a vital role during the rehabilitation phase. You can perform different treatments that strengthen your muscles and provide greater flexibility and mobility.
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