How common are sports injuries, and how can they be treated?

Sports injuries are common, with around 400,000 people treated for sports injuries in A&E departments each year . The techniques and practices of a physiotherapist can be useful in treating a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions, including injuries from sport.

In the UK, sports physiotherapy is a growing specialism, with a number of sports clinics dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of sports injuries. Sports physiotherapy is a medical field in which specialist physiotherapists specialise in. 

What is sports physiotherapy?

Sports physiotherapy covers a range of services offered by trained physiotherapists to prevent, treat, and rehabilitate sports injuries. Injuries might include:

• ankle sprain
• hamstring strain
• shin splints
• tennis elbow
• knee injury

As well as treating injuries, a sports physiotherapist can offer:

• advice on how to prevent future injuries
• exercises to improve your core stability as a base for good mobility
• sports massage therapy to speed up recovery after exercise, or help you mentally prepare for sporting activities
• screening for particular sports, such as cycling or golf, to assess any limiting factors in your performance and recommend a progressive exercise program to improve your abilities

Sports physiotherapists works in a variety of settings, from private services offered to individual athletes and teams to dedicated sports clinics.

Who can benefit from sports physiotherapy?

Anyone who participates in a sport, at whatever level, can benefit from sports physiotherapy. Even patients who do not have a sports injury can benefit from a physiotherapists’ advice to prevent future injury, as well as advice on improving mobility to enhance performance.

In some cases, you might have an existing mobility problem, or an injury related to sport. While a physiotherapist may be able to help you achieve goals in daily life, a sports physiotherapist can look specifically at how to continue participating in the sports you enjoy as best as you can.