Physical therapy is often viewed as a treatment option for an injured individual, but it is so much more than that. You may be surprised to learn that a large portion of our client base doesn’t have any active injuries, because many athletes have learned that physical therapy can help take their game to the next level. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at why healthy athletes should consider physical therapy if they are hoping to maximize their potential.
Why Healthy Athletes Choose PT
Here are a number of reasons why uninjured athletes have decided to work with our team to formulate a physical therapy routine for their body.
- Targeted Strengthening – In many aspects, a physical therapy routine is a lot like a normal workout, but a physical therapy is better able to target key muscles groups that are relied on for sporting activities. Instead of working on general muscle groups like your biceps or calf muscles, your PT can work on highly specific areas that are crucial for your particular sport. We can strengthen your adductors to improve your balance, or we can target underutilized muscles so that there isn’t a large difference in strength between nearby muscle groups, as this can be a source of injury.
- The 50-50 Plays – In almost every sport, there exists what’s known as the “50-50” play. When two soccer players or hockey players get to the ball or puck at the same time, when a receiver and a cornerback are jumping for the same ball, or when a runner is sliding into second base right as the shortstop puts the tag down. These 50-50 plays can make or break the outcome of a game, and oftentimes they are decided by a fraction of a second. With physical therapy, we can help you get that extra half step or add an inch or two to your vertical, which can make the difference in these 50-50 plays. Let us work with you to improve your quickness, top speed or vertical jump.
- Functional Analysis and Improvement – We have technology that allows us to break down your form and tweak it to make it as efficient as possible. Making small changes to your golf swing, your pitching rotation or your running form can help you hit the ball further, add speed to your fastball or have more endurance late in the game. We can analyze any inefficiencies in your form and develop a training regimen to remove them from your game.
- Female Athlete Focus – There are a number of issues unique to the female athlete, and we can target these oft-injured areas to help reduce your risk of injury. Harvard published an in-depth piece on some of the unique sporting challenges faced by women during athletic activity, and it is a good example of the types of injuries we can work to prevent. Inherent bodily differences in muscle structure and joint flexibility leave female athletes at a heightened risk for some injuries, but we can help curtail your risk through a physical therapy regimen.
- Education – Finally, syncing up with a physical therapist can be beneficial for healthy athletes because we can help educate them on some of the best practices for their in-season and off-season training. We can help you train smarter, which can make a big difference in your eventual outcomes. We can also give you the tools to manage sport-specific problems you may run into, like soreness, injury or muscle fatigue.
So if you want to improve your athletic ability, don’t wait until an injury strikes to set up a consultation with a physical therapist at OrthoRehab Specialist. Reach out to our team today.