Three tips for managing a sports injury at home

Athletes of all types and levels are at risk for injuries when they push their bodies hard in training and competition. As a result, athletes have a higher chance of developing an injury. If this happens to you, you’ll need to know what to do to recover fast and with quality.

Many athletes choose to visit a physical therapist for treating sports injuries because physical therapists are experts in treating the musculoskeletal system. That is, they are experts in helping you recover from injuries that affect your bones, joints, cartilage, muscles and connective tissue. 

However, some athletic injuries are minor, such as a stretched muscle, and require little more than some rest and home treatments. Below are a few steps you can follow at home while recovering if you’re an athlete who’s been hurt.

Three tips for treating minor sports injuries at home

1. Ice and heat — if you notice swelling around the affected area, place a bag of ice on it for about 15 minutes. Do this two or three times a day for a couple of days to help reduce swelling and pain. After a day or two of icing, you can apply heat instead to soothe the pain. It’s important to wait until the swelling goes down before applying heat because heat can make inflammation worse.

1. Rest — Athletes are tough and push themselves hard, but when you’ve been injured, you should not push yourself too far. This can result in more pain and a greater injury. Instead, you should spend some time resting so your body can heal.

1. Exercise and stretch — While resting is important, too much of it can actually do more harm than good. Make sure you maintain some level of light activity by getting up and walking around or doing some light stretches and exercises while recovering from your injury.

Contact Back in Motion Physical Therapy for sports injury rehabilitation

Sometimes, these home remedies are just not enough for treating a sports injury. If you’ve been severely hurt in practice or on the field, you should talk to a physical therapist at Back in Motion Physical Therapy.

One of our team members will work closely with you to identify the sources of your pain and develop a personalized treatment plan. Contact us today if you would like to speak with one of our team members and learn more about what we can do for you.