Whether you are a weekend warrior or an elite athlete, your osteopath can assist with the prevention of injury as well as treatment of many common sporting injuries: These include:

• neck and back strains

• shoulder, elbow and wrist injuries - e.g. tennis & golf elbow

• hip, knee, leg and ankle injuries - e.g. shin splints

Ankle and shoulder injuries are very common in amateur and professional sport.
If poorly treated or not treated at all, these can lead to recurrence and early degenerative conditions.

---

Prevention

Your osteopath can teach you a number of stretching exercises and routines that will specifically help you avoid injury through muscle and joint strain.

In addition, depending on your sport and individual needs, your osteopath can provide advice on correct diet to assist you in both performance and recovery.

Osteopathic treatment involves manual techniques including soft-tissue stretching, mobilization and manipulation. This is like a tune-up for strained muscles, joints and spine.

It creates a positive influence on your circulatory and nervous systems. In turn, this can have a flow-on effect to the rest of the body by improving elasticity and mobility.

These hands-on methods are gentle, safe and effective.

---

Out of breath?

Whether or not you are aware that you suffer from a breathing disorder, it is important - particularly in sport - that you ensure your diaphragm is performing optimally and the rib cage mechanics are functioning correctly. This shows up when the body is under stress to perform and the rate of breathing increases.

Your osteopath can assess your structure and assist in maintaining good breathing function.

 

---

Osteopathic training

In some countries, osteopaths are government-registered practitioners in manual medicine.

In Australia, for instance, osteopaths volunteer their time and expertise to train paralympic athletes to perform at their best in the Paralympic Games.

---

If you suffer a sports injury...

In all cases, you should do your best to remain calm. Where the condition is not life-threatening, you should follow standard First Aid procedures:

REST - Reduce stress to the injury

ICE - apply ice to reduce inflammation. Where necessary, apply analgesic.

COMPRESSES - gently use bandages to reduce swelling

ELEVATE - raise yourself or the person to maintain good blood circulation.