Rehabilitation in sport refers to the process of restoring an injured athlete’s physical abilities and overall health, with the goal of returning them to their previous level of performance. This typically involves a combination of medical treatment, physical therapy, and sports-specific training.
The rehabilitation process begins with a thorough evaluation of the athlete’s injury, including its severity and potential for long-term damage. Rehabilitation should start as soon as possible following an injury or surgery to help speed recovery. Research shows it can reduce pain, increase activity levels and quality of life, improve mental health, reduce morbidity and prevent further injury.
The Early rehabilitation phase may include a variety of interventions, such as:
- Physical therapy exercises to help rebuild strength, flexibility, and range of motion.
- Manual therapy techniques, such as massage or joint mobilisation, to reduce pain and promote healing.
- Cardiovascular conditioning to improve overall fitness and stamina.
- Sport-specific training exercises to help the athlete regain their skills and coordination.
- Nutritional counseling and other lifestyle interventions to promote healing and overall health.
- Psychological counseling and support to help the athlete cope with the emotional and mental challenges of injury and recovery.
The Middle phase of rehabilitation will start to address the specific needs of the patient or athlete and the demands of their work, leisure activities or sports. Throughout this phase of the rehabilitation process, the patient’s progress is closely monitored and adjustments are made to the treatment plan as needed. Rehab will often use one of or a combination of heavy slow resistance training, balance, proproceptive and neuromuscular training, power training and plyometrics, and cardiovascular training.
The Late phase of rehabilitation is very sport specific, adding in the demands of the sport into the rehabilitation process, such as tackling, speed and agility, ball handing skills and use of equipment (Golf, tennis racquets etc).
The ultimate goal of rehabilitation in sport is to help the athlete return to their sport as quickly and safely as possible, while minimising the risk of re-injury.