For a large majority of professional athletes, being down from an injury is quite common. Typically, professional athletes are acquainted with a physical therapist early on in their careers, often working in therapy programs for weeks. Because sports injuries are common, physical therapy assistant schools often train students in the most common sports injuries and their corresponding therapies. The following is a list of the most common sports injuries that athletes of all categories experience.
Muscle Strain
This injury can occur to almost any muscle on the body. Because athletes know of the risk of severe muscle strain they start every training session with a warm up and stretch and end each session with a cool down. However, even after doing these, the athlete still risks experiencing muscle pulls. People who try too hard, or move too fast in their exercise or sports routine can often experience these. Athletes who take a fall, experience fatigue or get hit overly hard can also experience these injuries. Physical therapy assistant programs teach students to apply ice to the muscle to relieve the spasms. Ice is applied for 20 minutes and then taken off for another 20, after which it is replaced. This icing process should be continued for the first few days after the injury.
Muscle Spasms
This injury is identified by the pronounced and painful involuntary muscle contraction. Physical therapy assistant schools teach that the signs of a muscle cramp or spasm in the muscle usually cause a great deal of pain and a sense of being very tender to the touch. In most cases the person affected can’t use the muscle until it heals. The muscle cramp can decrease when the muscle is stretched and flexibility improves. Adding fruits, vegetables and water to a diet may help prevent this type of injury.
Neck Strain
Many athletes suffer from pulled muscles in the neck area. It occurs from suddenly looking up or making a swift head movement. In some sufferers it causes neck movement to be almost impossible. Physical therapy assistant programs teach students to treat this type of injury with 20 minutes of applied ice then removing the ice for another 20 minutes and reapplying it.
Lower Back Pain
Almost all athletic people experience some type of lower back pain. It usually comes from a sharp and unexpected movement or back twist. Although it can also occur when a person lifts a heavy weight, or participates in an activity where he or she doesn’t have a lot of practice. Weightlifters, martial artists and tennis players are prone to back injuries because of the movements they need to make. Physical therapy schools teach physical therapist assistants simple exercises that can strengthen the lower back and abdominal muscles. By strengthening these sets of muscles a person can prevent back pain from occurring again.
There are many other sports related injuries that can occur. Some are related to a particular sport while others are more generalized. There are many different treatments and exercises that a good physical therapy assistant program will teach students throughout the learning sessions.
Dorothy Synder has written about physical therapy assistant schools and training as well as other college degree focused programs.
