Sports Osteopathy
Whatever Your Sport- The Richards’ Centre Team Can Help When Things Don’t Go Quite As Planned
Not only are they passionate about playing sports, their experience comes from years of working with sports teams, athletes and personalities, both prominent and anonymous.Â
The purpose of ‘Sports Osteopathy‘ is to help and support through training, performance and recovery.
Their aim: is your aim, the best possible performance.
Sport can be for everyone: played occasionally, with the family, a hobby as part of a team, or individually; some develop a more serious interest, while others make it a professional career. The point is, it isn’t just for those who are already fit and healthy, there are a growing number of people wanting to become fitter and healthier, without being hampered by injury.
Why do we get Sports Injuries?
Playing sports at any level puts considerable strain on our bodies, so it is no surprise that it’s a major cause of injuries, from strains, pains and aches, right through to fractures and breaks. Many injuries are accidental, others are due to overuse, playing too hard or too often, not warming up or down after exercise, or using equipment incorrectly: never be afraid to ask.Â
There are other less obvious causes eg. badly fitting, or inappropriate footwear, can lead to incorrect positioning of the ankle and foot causing, not only damage to them, but instability and permanent damage to other joints, such as the hip and knee.
As we get older many of us don’t accept the joint restrictions that come with age, we aren’t as flexible as we were! Pushing too hard, too soon can also create injury.
Young people are vulnerable too, as they combine the stresses of high pressure sport with their growing, developing bodies. Assessment and careful treatment is needed to ensure no lasting damage.
How Osteopathy Can Help?
In our experience, no two people are alike, every patient is as unique as their injury and pain. Osteopaths diagnose damage to tissues, sprains and injury in muscles, ligaments and tendons, and treat not only the painful area, but also the other remote areas affected by changed posture etc.
Gentle techniques can help to drain inflammation, and congestion. Articulation can help keep joint structures mobile, preventing stiffness and further blockage. Ligament damage can be supported by both these techniques, and exercises to keep the joint mobile, without stressing a damaged area.
Osteopathy can relieve symptoms, reduce pain, inflammation and discomfort and help tissues to heal, it’s also effective in treating acute, chronic, complex and/or recurrent injuries, in the rehabilitation and maintenance of every type of sports and other injuries, from simple strains and sprains, to acute and chronic, muscle, tendon and ligament damage in any part of the body.
Strapping, ultrasound, and dry needling can all play their part in helping sports injuries recover quicker, advice on posture, training, and lifestyle can help prevent injuries occurring.
We develop an effective treatment plan, which takes into account your general health, lifestyle and activities.
Rehabilitation from Injuries
The Richards Centre Team can target areas of muscle imbalance, targeting core stability and improving joint positioning and awareness. They will introduce, demonstrate and include, specific progressive exercises, and corrective movements, tailored to the individual to encourage a quicker return to normal activity.
Proprioceptive rehabilitation (correct positioning of the joint during use) is essential to prevent further recurrence of injury which may lead to unstable and damaged joints. The correct loading of muscles tendons and ligaments is important in avoiding increased tension and further tissue damage, a crucial part of continuing treatment which is often ignored and is vital for both full recovery from injury, recurrence and prevention.Â
Recovery aids such as Therabands and wobble boards, supportive strapping or braces, to stabilise recovering joints, hot and cold packs, active and passive stretching and exercises are all part of our rehabilitation programme, helping you recover quicker and optimise performance
An osteopath can help improve performance as well as treat the injuries being suffered.
Maintenance
Osteopathy not only treats injuries, it also supports improved performance.
Osteopathic treatment as part of your pre-event preparation can help to identify and monitor any areas of tissue and muscle tightness.
Soft tissue massage can minimise the chances of injury, reducing muscle tension, easing pain and inflammation by stimulating blood supply to the tissues and helping with lymphatic drainage. If everything within your structure is working as it should be, then you are less likely to suffer injuries.