No matter what level you’re at, your athletic career is deeply important. This means that if you have in injury or are interested in preventative care, you should consider hiring an athletic personal trainer (PT). Doing so will unlock the 7 benefits below and as a result, help you optimize your performance.
Functional Testing
If you have an injury like a broken bone, it will be easy to identify for any medical professional. On the other hand, many ailments are not so apparent. Instead, you might have a tough time figuring out exactly what your injury means for your athletic capabilities. A physical therapist can help solve this issue by putting you through functional testing, which is a measure of your physical state. Doing so will give both of you an idea of your limitations and inform your treatment going forward.
Personalized Treatment
If you go to a conventional doctor with your physical issues, you will likely receive a generic treatment plan. The reason is that family doctors have general knowledge instead of specific. They will probably tell you to rest, ice, and take pain medication, then send you on your way. When you see a PT, you will get an opinion from a medical professional with more specific knowledge. The result will be a treatment plan that is personalized to you and much more likely to work.
Injury Prevention
The worst thing you can do for your athletic performance is get injured. This is especially true when you already have an injury. Unfortunately, those that are already injured are at the highest risk of further damage. This is true for two reasons. First, your current issue might be tender and prone to reinjury. Second, you could adjust your movement patterns for your physical limitations, then suffer somewhere else due to added strain. An athletic physical therapist will know precisely when to push you and when to ease up, which will prevent injuries. Additionally, they will make you stronger going forward and more resilient against damage.
Pain Reduction
Often, the damage of an injury is not what keeps athletes from optimizing performance. Instead, it is the associated pain that holds them back. An experienced PT will have a variety of tools at their disposal to lessen your pain. They include massage, ice, heat, exercise, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, and much more. No matter what your issues are, an athletic physical therapist should know how to reduce your pain and get you training again.
Improve Strength and Mobility
The first instinct of many injured people is to rest until their issues solve themselves. While relaxing is better than experiencing excess strain, it is actually quite dangerous. The reason is that extended bouts of inactivity lead to a high risk of future injuries and set athletes back weeks or months in their training regimens. A smarter strategy is to improve strength and mobility safely, which an athletic physical therapist will know how to do.
Training Knowledge
One of the best parts about the internet is self-education. Still, getting an expert opinion is almost always superior to the blogs and videos you might find online. This is what you can get from a knowledgeable PT. Depending on your injury, you will likely want to train outside of the therapist’s office. It is best to know how to strengthen your body without suffering an injury when you do.
Quick Recovery
The last thing athletes want is to stay away from their sport for too long. Doing so will weaken their body, eat away at their skills, and make them less happy overall. Hiring an athletic personal trainer can get you off your couch and back in action as soon as possible.
Athletics is one of the most competitive environments in the world. One thing you can do to keep your edge is seeing an athletic physical therapist for injuries and preventative care. Doing so will keep you active year round and set you on a path towards optimal performance.
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