Many people mistakenly assume that ‘sports medicine’ refers to services that are only beneficial to professional athletes. The reality couldn’t be further from the truth. Individuals of all ages, abilities, and physical fitness levels should take advantage of the knowledge and expertise of sports medicine professionals — whether you are training for a marathon or simply wanting to increase your level of daily exercise.
When searching for a provider of sports medicine in Melbourne, be sure to pick a team that offers the full range of associated services. What is included in that range, you might ask? Read on to find out!
What is sports medicine?
The term sports medicine refers to any number of services that are designed to improve your physical fitness and reduce the risk of injury. We are most often exposed to sports medicine through the TV. Live sports broadcasts often feature shots of physios assessing player injuries or massage therapists providing a rubdown post-match. While professional athletes certainly rely on these individuals, most sports medicine professionals treat a wide range of everyday people.
Depending on the practitioner, a sports medicine professional might also provide more holistic advice relating to physical fitness, including nutrition tips and coaching services.
What services fall under sports medicine?
Depending on your level of physical fitness and your history of involvement in sport, you may have seen a professional who provides sports medicine in Melbourne without even realising it. Their services tend to be broad and comprehensive, often including:
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapists diagnose, treat, and prevent a wide range of ailments related to the musculoskeletal system. The aim of physiotherapy is to improve a patient’s movement, reduce stiffness, and facilitate recovery from injury.
Given the highly intense nature of professional sport, physiotherapists are an essential part of an elite sports team. However, they are equally important in providing amateur and everyday athletes with the knowledge and strategies needed to ensure good health and wellbeing, regardless of the type or intensity of physical activity.
Podiatry
Think of a type of exercise, and it more than likely involves your feet. In fact, try and think of a type of exercise that doesn’t! A podiatrist can treat injuries, correct poor technique (running or walking), and care for skin and nail-related ailments.
Myotherapy
Our bodies are built to withstand significant wear and tear, but that doesn’t mean you won’t benefit from a bit of tender loving care from time to time. A myotherapist provides manual therapy to manipulate aching tissues and joints. This service is designed to reduce swelling, pain, and inflammation to aid in recovery.
Myotherapists assist everyone from professional athletes to office workers suffering from hours spent hunched over the computer.
Pilates
Strength and flexibility are important traits for everyone, whether you’re competing at the Olympics or recovering from giving birth. Clinical pilates can strengthen your core muscles, improving your posture and providing a stronger base from which you can walk, run, jump, and live.
Strength and conditioning
As we get older, we begin to lose essential muscle mass that we previously took for granted. It can take considerable effort to stay in shape. Fortunately, you don’t have to make this journey on your own. A strength and conditioning coach can provide a training plan tailored to your circumstances, helping you to maintain fitness and reach your physical goals.
Coaching
It’s not only professional athletes that have goals. Everyday people have aspirations as well, and they can be as varied as completing a local fun-run to climbing Mt Everest. The best way to achieve a goal is to make a step-by-step plan, which is where a professional coach enters the picture. Many practices that provide sports medicine in Melbourne can work with you to create personalised training programs that will see you reach your goals in a timely and safe manner.
Shockwave therapy
Injury is a reality for all athletes, whether you are a professional training 5 times a week or someone who enjoys the odd weekend hike. Shockwave therapy can be used to provide pain relief and promote tendon healing. This type of treatment can help people suffering from all types of conditions, including shin splints and plantar fasciosis.
Dry needling
We can develop muscular pain for a range of reasons, including injury, failure to warm-up or cool-down, or following a particularly intense bout of exercise. Dry needling is a popular treatment therapy that is designed to release trigger points within the affected muscle. No one enjoys feeling tight and sore, and everyone can benefit from this treatment.
As you can see, many teams that provide sports medicine in Melbourne do so with the intention of their services being available to everyone. Whether you’re keen to safely make it from the couch to the gym or dream of achieving a lifelong exercise goal, a sports medicine team can get you there.
