Rehabilitation for Sports Injuries
A rehabilitation program for sports injuries is designed to meet the needs of the individual patient, depending upon the type and severity of the injury. Active involvement of the patient and family is vital to the success of the program.
The goal of rehabilitation after an amputation is to help the patient return to the highest level of function and independence possible, while improving the overall quality of life - physically, emotionally, and socially.
In order to help reach these goals, sports injury rehabilitation programs may include the following:
- Activity restrictions
- Physical or occupational therapy
- Exercise programs to stretch and strengthen the area
- Conditioning exercises to help prevent further injury
- Heat or cold applications and whirlpool treatments
- Applications of braces, splints, or casts to immobilize the area
- Use of crutches or wheelchairs
- Pain management techniques
- Patient and family education
Sports injury rehabilitation team
Rehabilitation programs for sports injuries are usually conducted on an outpatient basis. Many skilled professionals are part of the sports injury rehabilitation team, including any of the following:
- Orthopaedist/orthopaedic surgeon
- Physiatrist
- Physical therapist
- Occupational therapist
- Exercise physiologist
- Sports medicine specialist
- Athletic trainer
