There are many different forms of physical therapy, and each practice is special in its own way. They are designed to tackle different symptoms, ailments, and even demographics. Some areas of physical therapy are geared towards the elderly, and some are geared toward children. One aspect they all seem to have in common in the ending goal. The overall idea of physical therapy is to restore movement to the patient's problem areas to allow them to return to a normal way of life. This article will take a closer look at the newer practice of sports physical therapy in order to see what makes it different from some of the older forms of therapy that have been around for years.
Over the years sports therapy has gained a lot of recognition in the medical world as a legitimate practice. While its primary focus is athletes recovering from sports related injuries, athletic physical therapy can be performed on people of all ages, and is heralded for its ability to rebuild strength and mobility in impaired joints and muscles. The closest relative to sports therapy is orthopedic physical therapy. Orthopedic PT involves the treatment of injuries to the musculoskeletal system and is usually performed after an orthopedic surgery. You will often see this form of physical therapy being done in an outpatient clinical setting.
Sports physical therapy often incorporates aspects of orthopedic therapy to assist recovering athletes with joint and muscular movement, however the two practices are fundamentally different. Orthopedic PT is a very broad practice that encompasses a larger scope of ailments that would not fit into the specialized practice of sports therapy. Sports therapy involves some aspects you won't find in orthopedics as well. Nutrition, education, and exercise science are components you will find in athletic physical therapy that you won't find in normal outpatient clinic.
All in all, sports therapy is a considerably different form of therapy than the other practices. This specialized variety targets athletes who suffer traumatic injuries and need help returning back to the field. Sports rehabilitation and performance enhancement reestablishes the neuromuscular firing patterns that occur during movement, which may have been interrupted from injury. While some of the recovery methods mirror orthopedic physical therapy, sports rehabilitation provides an added benefit of techniques and services that aren't provided in orthopedics. A sports physical therapy center is likely to provide pain relief management that aids in the healing process and can include services like massage therapy and even acupuncture.
Over the years sports therapy has gained a lot of recognition in the medical world as a legitimate practice. While its primary focus is athletes recovering from sports related injuries, athletic physical therapy can be performed on people of all ages, and is heralded for its ability to rebuild strength and mobility in impaired joints and muscles. The closest relative to sports therapy is orthopedic physical therapy. Orthopedic PT involves the treatment of injuries to the musculoskeletal system and is usually performed after an orthopedic surgery. You will often see this form of physical therapy being done in an outpatient clinical setting.
Sports physical therapy often incorporates aspects of orthopedic therapy to assist recovering athletes with joint and muscular movement, however the two practices are fundamentally different. Orthopedic PT is a very broad practice that encompasses a larger scope of ailments that would not fit into the specialized practice of sports therapy. Sports therapy involves some aspects you won't find in orthopedics as well. Nutrition, education, and exercise science are components you will find in athletic physical therapy that you won't find in normal outpatient clinic.
All in all, sports therapy is a considerably different form of therapy than the other practices. This specialized variety targets athletes who suffer traumatic injuries and need help returning back to the field. Sports rehabilitation and performance enhancement reestablishes the neuromuscular firing patterns that occur during movement, which may have been interrupted from injury. While some of the recovery methods mirror orthopedic physical therapy, sports rehabilitation provides an added benefit of techniques and services that aren't provided in orthopedics. A sports physical therapy center is likely to provide pain relief management that aids in the healing process and can include services like massage therapy and even acupuncture.