By Spencer Private Hospitals

Sport is one of the most exciting activities that there is.  Whether you are young or old, it’s guaranteed that it will push you to the extreme, challenge you and heighten your adrenaline levels. But it can come with a price.  The competitiveness can damage you and the sometimes unique movements from the body can often lead to physical break down. No matter your age, if you’ve had a break for a few months, the first time you go back your muscles will know all about it.

As we get older our bodies can become painful even through our general working lives. For example, neck and back problems are caused from the process of degenerative changes or work place repetitive strain which is the over use of soft tissue injuries.

With the added extra pressures from sport the body takes even more hits. Each part needs to be ready to be able to complete each action and muscles and joints need to be strong enough to maintain and cope with the demands. Sport can cause long-term injury if it’s not prepared for properly and even more so if the body isn’t looked after once the little aches start.

Is sport becoming more dangerous?

Over the last few years, deaths in sport at both grassroots and professional level has led to many questioning the dangers of participation. From cricket to rugby and football, deaths have come from head injuries, and some from heart failure. Sports injuries account for 2% of cases from emergency departments (source – The Health and Social Care Information Centre)

What can we do to minimise potential injuries?

By investing in physiotherapy, you are in turn investing in your body and the ability to do things for longer. The attention and advice will help to offset the imbalances that develop and lessen the potential risks. However, it should be noted that there are no quick fixes. Going to a physio just once might provide positive results, but if the work is discontinued the problem is likely to return. Like any form of training, the rewards can only come through consistent repetition of the principles. Frustration will come if you only do the exercises for a week and expect that to be enough; many patients go straight back into heavy activities and don’t maintain the work inside and outside the physio room. To stay injury free can often be a simple equation: use the treatment and knowledge that a physio can offer, visit reasonably regularly and maintain the conditioning at home.

Physiotherapy services are now available at Canterbury Christ Church University where students and staff will have access to a wide range of physiotherapy services including sports injury management, sport massage, post-op orthopaedic rehabilitation and acupuncture. The service, led by Spencer Private Hospitals Physiotherapy Manager Ade Tijani began on 3^rd October and to book an appointment please call 01227 863500, e-mail sport@canterbury.ac.uk or click here