Injury Prevention
Just as there are many different types of injury, there are many different ways to avoid them. Most clients come to see us at Elite after they have suffered an injury. We are of course always happy to help them - but many of these injuries could have been prevented if they had either been reviewed before the injury or had followed some important protocols as listed below.
The team at Elite encourages and can help you with:
✓ Correct Body Mechanics
When lifting objects, ensure you use your knees NOT your back to lift. When carrying objects, ensure you keep them close to your spine and avoid twisting where possible. We frequently see clients who have strained their back because they carry and move objects incorrectly.
✓ Correct Posture
Poor posture when sitting or standing can often lead to complaints of back, neck and shoulder pain as your muscles become over worked and joints become stressed. Poor posture can also affect your walking or running style which can lead to back or knee pains. By correcting your posture we can help you avoid all these injuries.
✓ Strong Knees
Knee pain is often a result of muscle imbalances - commonly weak quadriceps muscles and associated tightness of hamstring and calf muscles which causes poor flexibility and function of the knee joint. By prescribing a tailored stretching and strengthening exercise program, we can help you avoid injuries such as runner’s knee, patello-femoral pain syndrome, ligament injuries and more. Correct running technique and footwear are also very important factors in avoiding these injuries.
✓ Avoiding Overtraining
Shin splints, Plantar fasciitis, Achilles or Patella tendonitis and other foot injuries are usually due to overuse or over-training that puts increased stress on the tendons and ligaments, leading to pain and injury. Calluses under the feet, leg-length discrepancy, tight calf and hamstring muscles, over-pronation or over-supination can all contribute to the onset of these injuries. Physiotherapy can help with specially tailored exercises to stretch and strengthen the muscles involved and advise you on proper footwear and technique.
✓ Correct Footwear
Your choice of shoe type and the age of your footwear can have a significant impact on many lower limb injuries such as shin splints, plantar fasciitis, achilles or patella tendonitis and many other foot, knee, hip or back pains. If you suffer from any of these conditions we can help provide you with advice on the correct footwear for your foot type as well as a full assessment of your body and contributing biomechanics.
✓ Sound Technique
If you participate in sport then it is likely that you will require a specific technique to perform the requirements of your sport. Often this will involve various forms of running, throwing, catching, kicking, tackling or striking that are performed repetitively throughout the length of your game. Accordingly, the more often you play, the greater the force put through your muscles, ligaments and joints. An incorrect technique can lead to muscle imbalances and overuse patterns which can result in many common injuries of both the upper and lower limb. Elite can review your technique, identify issues and implement changes that need to occur to keep your body healthy and performing at it’s best!
✓ Listening to your Body
As a general rule, if you experience pain during or after exercise (other than expected muscle soreness) then you should rest from activities that cause this pain for the next few hours or days and follow RICE principles. If your pain persists, your body is telling you that something is wrong - this is when we can help. We can also provide you with alternative training to maintain your fitness during this period if you are competing at a high level.
If you are unsure of your pain and whether you require treatment Call us Now on 3394 4489 and request to chat to one of our therapists, or request an appointment online.
Let us show you how to enjoy the things you love without the risk of pain or injury!
