Pain and Injury Rehabilitation In Glasgow
If you’re in Glasgow and need professional guidance for injury rehabilitation and prevention, you’ve come to the right place. As an experienced sports therapist at Pain and Performance, I specialise in providing tailored care for all individuals seeking to regain function, reduce pain, and avoid future injuries.
A Comprehensive Guide to Rehabilitation for Non-Athletes
I have created a detailed guide on injury rehabilitation specifically tailored for you. This guide incorporates the latest rehab principles and takes into account the your unique considerations. By reading further, you’ll discover how my services can assist you in achieving your recovery goals, along with valuable insights provided by my comprehensive guide on injury rehabilitation and prevention.
Introduction to Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation plays a vital role in helping you regain function, alleviate pain, and prevent future injuries. The process involves a step-by-step approach that assist you in returning to your daily activities while promoting overall health and well-being. This guide focuses on the principles and stages of rehabilitation, the important role of sports therapists, exercise prescription principles, and special considerations for non-athletic populations, including patient education and psychological factors.
Stages of Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation generally follows a four-stage process, as outlined by Brukner & Khan (2017):
Stage 1 of Rehabilitation: Pain Reduction and Protection.
Stage 1 of Rehabilitation: Pain Reduction and Protection.
During the initial stage, the focus is on reducing inflammation and safeguarding the injured area. In clinic, I use techniques such as massage and gentle movement to reduce swelling and enhance drainage, along with modalities like cupping and taping. Additionally, I provide gentle movement exercises that help calm and reduce swelling.
- Protect the injured area from further damage.
- Elevate the affected limb.
- Avoid anti-inflammatory modalities.
- Compress the area with an elastic bandage, and
- Educate yourself about the injury and the healing process.
Following the PEACE approach at home is strongly advised. This involves protecting the injured area, elevating the affected limb, avoiding anti-inflammatory modalities, compressing the area with an elastic bandage, and educating yourself about the injury and healing process.
It’s important to follow your healthcare professional’s advice during this stage to prevent further damage to the injured area and facilitate the natural healing process (Dubois & Esculier, 2019)..
Stage 2 of Rehabilitation: Range of Motion and Flexibility
Stage 2 of Rehabilitation: Range of Motion and Flexibility
Once pain and inflammation have subsided, the focus shifts to regaining mobility in the affected area.
In clinic, I may use sports massage and other techniques to aid this process.
Gentle exercises and stretches are introduced to improve flexibility and bring back a normal range of motion. Perform these activities within your pain-free range to prevent aggravating the injury (Brukner & Khan, 2017), although if carefully managed, some pain is acceptable if it falls within certain constraints.
Stage 3 of Rehabilitation: Strength and Stability
Stage 3: Strength and Stability
As flexibility and range of motion improve, the next step is to rebuild strength and stability in the injured area. This stage involves following the LOVE approach, which stands for
- Load the injured tissues gradually as tolerated,maintain
- Optimism and a positive mindset during recovery, promote
- Vascularization through low-intensity cardiovascular exercises, and perform targeted exercises
- Exercises to restore strength and function.
loading the injured tissues gradually as tolerated, maintaining optimism and a positive mindset, promoting vascularization through low-intensity cardiovascular exercises, and performing targeted exercises to restore strength and function. To ensure safe and effective progress while minimizing the risk of re-injury, it is essential to follow a customized program designed by a qualified professional such as a sports therapist or physiotherapist (Dubois & Esculier, 2019).
Stage 4 of Rehabilitation : Functional Retraining
The final stage of injury rehabilitation varies based on your needs. The requirements of a high-performing athlete differ from those of someone who isn’t active or sporting
Understanding this, I adjust my approach to suit your specific needs.
Functional retraining involves gradually reintroducing sport- or activity-specific movements, allowing you to return to your normal activities while minimizing the risk of re-injury. The exercises included in this stage may focus on balance, plyometric drills, or agility training, depending on your goals and specific needs (Brukner & Khan, 2017)
The Role of Sports Therapists in Injury Rehab
Sports therapists are highly qualified professionals specializing in the prevention, assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation of sports and exercise-related injuries. They play a crucial role in designing and implementing personalized injury rehabilitation plans for non-athletic populations (BASRaT, 2021).
Working with a sports therapist offers several benefits:
- Understanding Your Individual Needs and Goals: A sports therapist takes the time to assess your specific injury and understand your unique goals, allowing them to tailor a rehabilitation program to your requirements.
- Developing a Personalized Rehabilitation Program: Based on your injury and individual needs, a sports therapist designs a customized rehabilitation program that considers your current condition, ensuring safety and effectiveness.
- Ensuring Program Safety and Effectiveness: A sports therapist monitors your progress throughout the rehabilitation process, making necessary adjustments to your program as needed. This ensures that your program remains safe and effective as you recover.
- Guidance and Support: A sports therapist provides ongoing guidance and support, offering expertise and advice during your entire rehabilitation journey.
Seeing a sports therapist for your injury can be one of the most effective of recovering a quickly as you’re able.
Exercise Prescription Principles for Rehabilitation
When designing an injury rehabilitation program, it’s essential to consider the basic exercise prescription principles: Frequency, Intensity, Time, Type, Volume, and Progression (FITT-VP). These principles can help guide the development of safe and effective rehabilitation programs that address the specific needs and goals of non-athletic populations (ACSM, 2018).
Special Considerations for Non-Athletic Populations
When designing injury rehabilitation plans for non-athletes, I must consider several factors:
- Existing Health Conditions: Individuals with chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, or arthritis may require modified rehabilitation programs to accommodate their specific needs and limitations (ACSM, 2018). It’s essential to consult with a healthcare professional before beginning any rehabilitation program to ensure that it is safe and appropriate for your health status.
- Age: Older adults may experience age-related changes in strength, flexibility, and balance, which can affect their injury rehabilitation process. Rehabilitation programs for older individuals should take these factors into account and be tailored to their specific needs and abilities (ACSM, 2018).
- Activity Level: Non-athletic individuals may have different goals and activity levels than athletes, so their rehabilitation programs should be tailored accordingly. For example, a non-athlete may prioritise returning to daily activities and maintaining overall health, rather than focusing on sport-specific performance (Brukner & Khan, 2017).
The Importance of Patient Education and Self-Management
Educating you about your injury and rehabilitation is crucial for successful recovery. Providing information about the expected recovery timeline, potential complications, and self-management strategies can help individuals take an active role in their rehabilitation and set realistic expectations (Dubois & Esculier, 2019). Self-management techniques may include:
- Pain management strategies.
- Adhering to prescribed home exercises.
- Understanding when to seek professional advice.
Psychological Factors in Injury Rehabilitation
The psychological aspect of injury rehabilitation is often overlooked but plays a significant role in recovery. Addressing psychological factors such as fear of re-injury, anxiety, depression, and motivation can improve adherence to rehabilitation programs and enhance recovery outcomes (Ardern et al., 2016). Working with a sports therapist or mental health professional can help address these psychological factors and provide support throughout recovery.
Injury rehabilitation for non-athletic populations is essential for regaining function, reducing pain, and preventing future injuries. By understanding the stages of injury rehabilitation, the role of sports therapists, exercise prescription principles, and special considerations for non-athletic populations, including patient education and psychological factors, individuals can receive tailored guidance and support throughout their recovery journey. Remember to consult with a healthcare professional before beginning any rehabilitation program, especially if you have existing health conditions or previous injuries.
References
American College of Sports Medicine. (2018). ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription (10th ed.). Wolters Kluwer. PDF link
Ardern, C. L., Taylor, N. F., Feller, J. A., Whitehead, T. S., & Webster, K. E. (2016). Psychological responses matter in returning to preinjury level of sport after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 44(7), 1549-1558.
Brukner, P., & Khan, K. (2017). Clinical Sports Medicine (5th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
British Association of Sport Rehabilitators and Trainers (BASRaT). (2021). What is a Sports Rehabilitator? Retrieved from https://www.basrat.org/What-is-a-Sports-Rehabilitator
Dubois, B., & Esculier, J. F. (2019). Soft-tissue injuries simply need PEACE and LOVE. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 54(2), 72-7