Everyone you speak to has heard of Physiotherapy, knows a good Physiotherapist, has had an experience with Physiotherapy in the past, or is currently being treated for some sort of pain or injury by a Physiotherapist. You may know who we are and what we do, but did you know that our skill set goes beyond just injury management? We can be of assistance to plenty of people who aren’t currently managing an injury but instead want to maximise their athletic performance. Are you a sporty weekend warrior, want to step up your football or netball game, or trying to improve a certain skill for your chosen sport? Well, we can certainly help you with that!
How can Physiotherapy address athletic performance?
A Physiotherapist has been trained to assess every muscle and joint in your body, and can critically analyse your movement patterns and biomechanics. We can identify exactly what is weak, what is tight, what is strong and what could potentially be limiting you when it comes to your chosen activity. We can assist you in developing aspects of athleticism that are specific to your sport including strength, speed, flexibility, coordination and movement patterns. Sometimes we as humans develop and train our bodies in a way that becomes very well suited to a particular sport, however weak links can be holding us back from achieving our full potential. Identifying these muscle imbalances, and appropriately training to correct them, is crucial to assisting you reach that next level! Over time, unidentified weaknesses may predispose us to injuries or limit our ability to express our physical capabilities. A Physiotherapist with a good eye for detail can assist in addressing these weak links with an individualised exercise program with the aim to maximise your performance.
How does this relate to you in a practical sense?
Well here’s an example for you to think about…
Say you would like to run 100m in 10 seconds. You’ve put in all the hard work in the gym and on the track to get yourself as strong and quick as you possibly can before the next big track comp. However, no matter how many barbell squats you do in the gym, you just can’t crack that 10 second flat – that squat training just isn’t transferring to the track! You head on over to the Physio and after a battery of testing they explain to you that your glute is weak in comparison to your quad, or the timing and activation of your glutes and hamstrings is slightly mismatched. The Physio then watches you sprint and can clearly see the lack of hip movement throughout your running technique. Half an hour later, you’ve had a thorough examination performed and have been provided with some specific rehabilitation drills to strengthen your hip, correct your muscle imbalances and ensure everything is in proportion with each other throughout your sprinting motion. With some diligence and commitment to your new exercise regime, you’ll soon be seeing the numbers on the stop watch you’ve been dreaming of!
Getting injured is one of the most frustrating aspects about sport, and particularly annoying for any athlete who is training regularly for high level competition. Being able to train regularly and consistently allows us to perfect our craft and build towards high level performance, however an injury can really set us back in our preparation. Sustaining an injury typically leads to not being able to participate in sport or exercise for a certain period of time. Nobody likes sitting on the sidelines, and rehab often feels like a tedious process to get back to a fully functioning level again. However, the rehab process is crucial to allow our bodies the best opportunity to rest and recover before progressing towards our goals once again. Having a Physiotherapist on board with your injury management gives your body the best chance it can to heal, gives your mind the clarity and education you need to overcome any barriers, and gets you back to your training in the most timely manner.
Strength and Conditioning
Training for any sport needs a certain level of strength and conditioning. Whilst elite athletes have access to strength and conditioning coaches and Physiotherapists everyday, not everyone has this luxury. However, your friendly neighbourhood Physio can also provide you with recommendations regarding strength and conditioning for your sport, coaching on correct exercise technique and give you the tips and tricks to be able to perform at your best. And here’s a clue… there’s all sorts of things you can do at home with minimal equipment that helps build strength, stability, power or flexibility – whatever you need!
How We Can Help
One thing that’s important to remember about Physiotherapists is that we are fundamentally movement specialists. Analysing movement and biomechanics is our bread and butter! So if you’re struggling with your technique we are ready and willing to help you identify what it is you need to rectify these problems. We can look at your movement patterns and correlate any technique issues you may have with functional deficits we may find in our assessment, and subsequently give you the tools needed to address your form. Many Physiotherapists are sports fanatics themselves and come from a health and fitness background, so we tend to have a fairly good grasp on ideal technique across a multitude of sports and activities.
Physiotherapy is inherently a collaborative process where we work together with you, and in many cases your coach or teammates, in order to achieve your goals and succeed in your chosen field. We will make sure that our advice and prescription aligns with your coach or trainer’s long term program and can assist in modifying anything along the way to ensure your drills and exercises are tailored specifically to you. This applies to any technique cues or injury management plans that would be useful to your performance.
Physiotherapists can do so much more than just helping you rehabilitate an existing injury. We can provide you with the tools to prevent injuries from occurring in the first place so that you can keep focused on your training and perfect your craft. We can provide insight on muscle imbalances or technique corrections that would enhance your performance, and give you input on functional weakness that may be limiting you from performing your best on game day. So if you’re looking to up your sporting game, give our friendly staff a call to arrange an appointment and come and visit us at our Kellyville or Carlingford practice!
