Being active, getting out there, and getting that heart pumping are all great for your health, right? Usually. The fact, however, is that playing sports does, naturally, make you more at risk of sports-related injuries. You can mitigate this risk by wearing the right protective equipment and always using the right form. You should also avoid exercising entirely alone, so help can come in an emergency.
Even when you do everything right, however, accidents can happen. They’re more likely to occur in contact sports as well since there are so many variables you can’t always predict or prepare for. All sports injuries, from the most serious to the most minor, can get better. Putting effort into your recovery and using the tips outlined in this guide can help you regain as much strength and flexibility as possible.
1. Red Light Therapy
Red light, or infrared therapy, is a simple but effective, non-invasive, and drug-free treatment option for many different sports injuries. It works by sending specific wavelengths of light (infrared) that then penetrate deep into tissues to stimulate the cellular repair processes, which, in turn, promotes healing. Light therapy has become quite a popular treatment amongst athletes, as it’s been shown to minimize inflammation, relieve pain, and accelerate tissue regeneration.
2. Hot/Cold Therapy
Hot and cold therapy is a time-tested and effective approach for managing pain, reducing inflammation, and boosting your recovery. It works in two phases; first, by applying heat. Applying heat to the affected area helps improve blood circulation, relax muscles, and relieve stiffness. Then, cold therapy works to reduce the swelling. It also numbs the area, which in turn can provide pain relief. To get the most benefits and speed up the healing process, it’s recommended to alternate between hot and cold in a single session.
3. Stem Cell Therapy
If you’ve suffered a sports injury to the back or joints, then stem cell therapy may be a game-changing treatment option for you. This innovative therapy uses stem cells to boost the body’s natural healing process, repair damaged tissue and speed up recovery. It’s still in its infancy as a treatment, so visit Bioxcellerator to learn more. They’ve been researching and developing stem cell treatments for over 20 years, making them one of the leaders in their field.
4. Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is a classic, and for a good reason – it plays a pivotal role in the rehabilitation of any and all sports injuries. A skilled physical therapist will design a personalized treatment plan focused on improving strength, flexibility, and range of motion. Through targeted exercises, manual therapy techniques, and other treatments, physical therapy aims to restore function, alleviate pain, and prevent future injuries. Remember: to see the best possible results, you’ll need to do your homework. Always follow up with any physical therapy meeting with at-home work to regain as much strength and flexibility as possible. You may not get back to how you were before, but with this and all the other treatments in this list, you can minimize the pain and regain as much of your life as possible.
