Summer is the perfect time to go outside and enjoy the nice weather. Some of the top summer activities are swimming, hiking, kayaking, and gardening. The extra activity in the summer can make you more susceptible to injuries. Luckily physical therapy is a great way to help prevent and heal those injuries.
Your physical therapist can provide you with a customized treatment plan to help you perform all your summer activities safely.
How Physical Therapy Can Help Treat 4 Common Summer Injuries
Certain injuries are more frequent in the summer than at other times of the year. Four of the most common summer injuries are:
Increasing strength, mobility, and flexibility through physical therapy can treat and prevent future summer injuries from taking place.
Sprains
Harvard Medical School defines a sprain as “a tear of ligaments, the tough bands of fibrous tissue that connect bones to one another at a joint”. Sprains can occur in all different areas of the body including the knees, back, ankles, and shoulders. Physical therapy can help you recover from a sprain by reducing swelling, alleviating pain, and improving your range of motion.
Strains
A strain is the stretching or tearing of a muscle or tendon (tissue that connects muscle to bone). Overuse of a muscle or using a muscle incorrectly can cause a strain. Physical therapy can aid in the healing process of a strain by decreasing irritation to the muscle and increasing your range of motion.
Concussions
A concussion is an injury to the brain caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. This usually occurs from a direct hit to the head, repeated hits to the head, or due to a rapid movement like whiplash. Physical therapy works towards treating your symptoms such as dizziness and headaches through a personalized plan. A physical therapist will evaluate your condition to find the best type of activity that will help you to recover.
Dislocations
A dislocation occurs when bones are separated from where they meet in a joint. A joint can be partially dislocated (subluxation) or fully dislocated. Dislocations can happen to any joint, however, the shoulder is the most frequently dislocated joint of the body. A dislocation tends to take place due to a fall or blow to the joint. Physical therapy helps stabilize the shoulder joint and protect it during recovery.
Don’t Let Injuries Get in Your Way This Summer
After a long, cold winter and the hectic pace of the school year, now is the perfect time to focus on fun. Don’t let an injury get in the way of your plans, take control of your aches and pains early by teaming up with a physical therapist!
If you are experiencing an injury, contact Bay State Physical Therapy today! We can help you through the healing process, so you can keep doing the summer activities you love!
To learn more, call your nearest Bay State Physical Therapy location or complete the form below to request an appointment.
Tags: Sprains, Strains, safety, injury prevention, head injury, concussion, injury
