Rehabilitation Technique for Sports Medicine & Athletic Training

Rehabilitation techniques for sports medicine and athletic training facilitate the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of sports-related injuries. Physical therapists with backgrounds in sports medicine, in conjunction with physicians who specialize in physical medicine and rehabilitation, assay injuries, prescribe treatments and formulate remedial training regimens that support an athlete's recovery.

  1. Purpose

    • Sports injuries require treatment methods tailored specifically for the musculoskeletal damage commonly incurred by professional and recreational athletes. The rehabilitation techniques used in sports medicine focus on muscles that routinely experience periods of high-stress and assist athletes in areas of recovery not normally covered by traditional physical therapy methods.

    Methods

    • Rehabilitation techniques in sports medicine focus first on determining if an injury stems from preexisting damage, environmental conditions or an athlete's use of poor technique. In addition to injury assessment, therapists and physiatrists implement several procedures, including ultrasound therapy, electrical stimulation, gait training, therapeutic exercise and myofascial release to restore functioning and alleviate pain.

    Specialties

    • Practitioners of sports medicine rehabilitation often have completed residencies or fellowships in physiatric, chiropractic and osteopathic medicine. Neurophysiologists and therapists trained in electromyography assist in cases of neural injury.