Balanced Physical Therapy

Balanced mailed this article to area physicians on 9/21/07

Mounting evidence suggests that athletic overuse injuries result from the cumulative trauma caused by pre-existing athletic deficits.¹Â  The treatment implication is that helping the patient through an acute episode is only half the answer.  If the patient intends to return to athletic activity, identification and correction of the underlying athletic deficit is indicated.  Indeed, research shows that athletes with previous soft-tissue injuries have a greater likelihood of future injuries.  For many types of sports injuries, thorough management including physical therapy evaluation and treatment reduces the likelihood of re-injury.²Â  Physicians should consider a referral to Balanced Physical Therapy for thorough management of all types of sports injuries. 

It is highly appropriate and encouraged that patients be referred directly from family practices (orthopedic surgeons and physiatrists are not the only ones who can prescribe physical therapy).  You will find that expert therapists at Balanced perform thorough assessments that refine medical diagnoses to determine the most efficient course of physical therapy.  In addition to having multiple Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists and Certified Athletic Trainers on staff, the patient care team at Balanced Physical Therapy brings to the evaluation considerable personal knowledge of a variety of sports.  At Balanced Physical Therapy, assessing and treating sports injuries can include:

ROM & Flexibility: Increased flexibility of only 4 degrees has been shown to significantly decrease overuse injuries of the lower extremities.¹Â  In sports, a decreased range of motion in one area can cause compensation and trauma in other areas along the kinetic chain.  These patterns can be sports specific.  At Balanced Physical Therapy, therapists can identify and correct deficits in the painful area as well as address limitations in other areas of the body that may contribute to the cumulative trauma.

Muscle Balance: In many cases, a strength imbalance between agonists and antagonists will increase the likelihood of athletic injuries.  In addition, weakness in the muscles that stabilize key sports movements may increase the probability of injury.  Balanced Physical Therapy can identify and teach corrections for these hidden problems. 

Posture Training: Subtle postural deficits can cause joints to function inappropriately and increase the incidence of sports injuries and the recurrence of symptoms.⁵  Furthermore, problematic posture sometimes results from inadequately addressed injuries when antalgic positioning becomes a learned posture.  Again, physical therapy intervention is indicated.

Sports Technique and Equipment: In some cases, correcting the way a person performs a swing or a throw can prevent injury.⁴  Improvement in sports-related equipment can also prevent injury.  Balanced Physical Therapy may be able to identify sports specific opportunities to improve training or equipment.

Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialists

The NCSA awards the CSCS certification to professionals who possess the knowledge and skills to design and implement safe and effective strength & conditioning programs.  Therapists with this well-respected certification serve as part of the expert team at Balanced.  Just one of the many reasons you can trust Balanced Physical Therapy with your sports injuries.

Please Put Balanced Physical Therapy on Your Sports Injuries Team

Sources & References

1. Hartig DE, Henderson JM. Increasing hamstring flexibility decreases lower extremity overuse injuries in military basic trainees. Am J Sports Med March-April 1999;27:173-6.
2. Levitz CL, Reilly PJ, Torg JS. The pathomechanics of chronic, recurrent cervical nerve root neurapraxia. The chronic burner syndrome. Am J Sports Med 1997;25:73-6.
3. Holmich P, Uhrskou P, Ulnits L, Kanstrup IL, Nielsen MB, Bjerg AM, et al. Effectiveness of active physical training as treatment for long-standiing adductor-related groin pain in athletes; randomized trial. Lancet 1999;353:439-43.
4. Watkins RG, Dillin WM. Cervical spine and spinal cord injuries. In: Fu FH, Stone DA, Eds. Sports injuries: mechanics, prevention, treatment. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins, 1994:854-9.
5. Markey KL, Di Benedetto M, Curl WW. Upper trunk brachial plexopathy. The stinger syndrome. Am J Sports Med 1993;21:650-5.
6. Hoelmich P. Adductor-related groin pain in athletes. Sports Med Arthroscopy Rev 1997;5:285-91.

©BMA 2008