The Four Key Stages of Sports Rehabilitation

What every athlete should know for the best recovery possible

Four Stages of Sports Rehab, Las Vegas

Any injured athlete knows the importance of rehabilitation to not only make a full recovery and be able to return to the sport they love, but to also reduce pain and discomfort along the way.

With that said, there are four key stages or phases of sports rehab that all injured players should know are essential to a complete recovery before getting back into the game:

1. Rest and reduce pain and inflammation

The first stage of sports recovery focuses on preventing any further damage to the injury, and allowing the body to begin its healing process. This involves controlling and managing pain and swelling typically through the RICE method or with recovery systems such as those offered by Game Changers Sports Recovery in Las Vegas, as well as potentially wearing a protective cast or casing if necessary. Using over-the-counter pain medications or anti-inflammatories is an additional option to help minimize pain during this stage.

2. Recover motion and mobility

Injuries have a way of hindering and limiting movement and mobility - and suddenly it becomes painful or impossible to move, bend or extend freely in the way you always knew how. This is why the right flexibility training from a physiotherapist custom-designed to mobilize the tissues and joints is necessary in order to recover range of motion in the earlier stage of your injury - instead of potentially reversing your healing progress without the proper therapy.

3. Recover muscle strength

Another unfortunate thing about injuries is the muscle weakness and deterioration that often occurs as a result. But the good news is, the right rehabilitation program will help to maintain muscle mass, strength and cardiovascular endurance through gentle exercise and physical activity recommended by your physiotherapist.

4. Restore your sport-specific functions

The final stage of sports rehabilitation is recovering your sport-specific skills and returning to the game. This includes restoring progress in the areas such as coordination, in particular, as well as speed, physical acuity, and any crucial skills unique to the sport.

Your recovery matters - so do it right!

These four stages of sports rehabilitation should play a role in every athlete’s recovery process to ensure a strong and safe return to the game.

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