Exercising and participating in sports is good for your body, but injuries are a common problem that several athletes face. The right treatment program will help the injury heal more quickly and improve its permanent function. If you’ve experienced a sports injury, the Step By Step Physical Therapy team recommends physical therapy as a vital part of your recovery process in Warsaw, NY. It will boost your rehabilitation in various ways.

Post-Injury Benefits of Physical Therapy

1. Reducing & Preventing Swelling

Swelling is an unavoidable part of any injury, but it’s important that you keep the swelling down as much as possible. Swelling puts pressure on your joints, which is painful and reduces your abilities. Physical therapy utilizes a few key strategies to reduce inflammation such as ultrasound machines, electrical stimulation, massage, or alternating hot and cold applications.

2. Increasing Range of Motion

Therapy will include a series of strengthening and stretching exercises. This keeps the muscles flexible as they recover, and, combined with the reduced inflammation, it improves the range of motion. It’s important that this is done under the guidance of a professional, as they know how far you can stretch the muscles without causing further injury.

3. Preventing Further Injury

Once a joint or a muscle has been injured, it is often left weaker — even years after the injury. As a result, athletes are more susceptible to another injury in the future. Physical therapy focuses on safely strengthening the area, so the patient is less likely to experience another injury. For example, if the ankle is injured, a physical therapist will help their patient strengthen the muscles around the ankle, so it’s better protected in the future with the support it needs.

Starting your physical therapy immediately after the injury will make your path to wellness easier. The team at Step By Step Physical Therapy uses the latest therapeutic technologies and will teach you at-home exercise routines for effective, natural pain management. Schedule an appointment by calling (585) 786-8700 to have them assess your injury and craft a personalized treatment plan.