Early Season Injuries

Pre/Early Season Injuries

By Jack Nuske

14/03/2022

Take a structured approach to getting back on the field

The return of sport unfortunately means the return of sports injuries. As seasonal sports return, many of us jump into full training and matches without an appropriate reintroduction to exercise loads. Some athletes experience niggles or an early sports injury that can sideline them or affect performance, meaning they often miss out on the early rounds of competition.

A safe return to sport after injury doesn’t mean a period of complete rest followed by hopping back into unrestricted sport; a graded, stepwise approach should be taken. Physiotherapy aims to manage and improve the injured area. In addition physiotherapy uses an evidence and criteria-based approach in returning the athlete to play. Most rehab programs should include:

Modifying your exercise/training load in the short term
Strengthening exercises of both injured site and surrounding tissues
Aerobic (cardiovascular) endurance
Balance and control
Sport-specific skill-based exercises

This individualised rehab program is ideally accompanied by a graded increase in training/match loads with the aim of preventing an overload of the initial injury or developing a secondary overuse injury.

What we can do for you

Here at Physical Edge Healthcare, we can work with you and your coach to help incorporate these fundamental components of return to play to ensure you are playing to the best of your ability without running the risk of re-injury. Don't wait until it is too late.