|
What Can Physical Therapy Do For You?
By: Matthew Rogers, PT, DPT, OCS, Clinic Director
TAI – Oregon City Physical Therapy
Whether you are a high school athlete gearing up for the 2016 Olympics, or you just want to stay healthy and active, physical therapy can help. Now more than ever, highly skilled physical therapists are trained to not only help heal an injury, but to enhance performance at all levels of sports and activities. They are also experts in helping you maintain a healthy body and promoting wellness for all ages.
Why PT for Performance Enhancement?
|
Performance enhancement is a fundamental principle for athletics or recreational activities to maximize the potential of the human body and mind. Physical therapists specialize in assessing and correcting problems that can hinder performance. A physical therapist is:
-
Experienced in prescribing programs to train patients in a wide range of sports and activities.
-
An important liaison among physicians, parents, coaches, and athletic trainers to help provide comprehensive care.
-
Educated in research-based testing to help determine how to safely and successfully train patients for athletic and recreational activities.
-
Highly skilled in manual therapy techniques to assist the body in moving more effectively
-
Able to prescribe activities that influence multiple body systems to maximize performance, including cardiovascular, neuromotor, cognitive, musculoskeletal, and dietary.
Physical therapists are best known for their prescription of detailed exercises that help improve body function. This is especially true for athletic performance enhancement, as there are a lot of factors to consider for each individual to meet their goals. Exercises will vary depending on injuries (old or new), body type, and the patient’s abilities and needs. Other factors to consider include the patient’s sport or activity, level of difficulty, and timing (in-season vs. off-season). The physical therapist and patient relationship can be analogized to that of a mechanic working with a finely-tuned car. Sometimes all that is needed is a small change in tire pressure while other times repairs may be needed to an entire structural component of the car.
Let’s look at an example. For the past few years a marathon runner has had difficulty meeting her goal of breaking 3 ½ hours at the Portland Marathon, but she is determined this year! She goes to see her local PT and finds that she has a mechanical problem with her hips, which causes her feet to overpronate, when the foot rolls inward more than the average after the heel makes the initial ground contact. The PT figures out that this has been contributing to knee pain and limiting the patient’s training runs. Her PT recommends a more supportive pair of shoes and builds her an exercise program that is specific to controlling pronation during running. Are there other factors contributing to the patient not reaching her goal? The PT discovers that she runs an appropriate amount of miles per week, but she is not doing any speed training to help fine tune her stride and get her
nervous system and muscles adapted to running at a faster pace. The PT then designs a training program that incorporates speed workouts.
What else can help her meet her goal? She now runs efficiently and has a more comprehensive training routine, but she needs strategies to help her run longer at her new pace and recover faster after hard runs or workouts. Recommendations could include stretching and foam rolling programs, consistent strengthening exercises to maximize her total body’s potential, and education on what kind of foods help maximize performance and when to eat them. These are just some examples of how your physical therapist can help you meet your performance-based goals.
Physical therapy is beneficial for anyone interested in athletic performance or people who want to stay healthy and active. People often limit their activity due to pain, stiffness, or weakness, and a physical therapist specializes in correcting these issues to get you back to doing the activities you love. You may already have an exercise program but need some guidance to ensure you are staying safe and progressing appropriately. If you are not sure, contact your local PT and find out if you are a good candidate for physical therapy.
How Can You Work with a PT for Performance Enhancement?
|
Performance enhancement programming is often incorporated into the goals of standard physical therapy, however many of our clinics offer specialty cash programs designed to prevent injury and impact performance. For more information or to find your local physical therapist, please visit our website at:
www,therapeuticassociates.com
|
|