Whether you do sport for recreation or more competitively, there may be a time when you injure yourself.

Sports injuries can be caused by:

• the stop/start nature of a sport.
• the sudden change in direction of movement.
• the repetitive nature of the movement.
• poor warm-up/cool down.
• lack of stretching.

Early treatment of sports injuries is necessary as reduced joint and muscle flexibility can affect performance in your sport and may lead to further injury. Treatment will also help to speed the recovery and to prevent reoccurrence.

There can be acute injuries such as rolled/sprained ankle, torn muscle, groin strain, or there are overuse injuries such as tennis elbow, golfers elbow, rotator cuff tears, shin splints.

Osteopathy is helpful for the treatment of acute, recurrent or a non-resolving sports injury. An Osteopath is able to assess and address the underlying causes of a sports injury problem and to help prevent further injury. Osteopaths improve joint mobility, reduce restrictions in the soft tissues, restore structural balance and may give advice on how to ensure that muscles and ligaments stay healthy.

A few basic tips:

• if a beginner or after an injury, begin exercise slowly and gradually build up.
• start with a warm-up and finish with stretches...
• drink plenty of water when exercising.
• follow a regular exercise routine but also allow rest periods.
• if injured, apply a cold pack to the area for 10-15 minutes and repeat every half hour, if practical. Elevate and rest if possible.