We’re nearly a month into the first semester of the collegiate year in BC, which means that many athletic programs are ramping up and/or kicking into full gear. Amidst the on-campus practices and preparatory activities there is one resource that we encourage post-secondary athletes to take advantage of – physiotherapy. Here’s why.
Why College and University Athletes Should Make Outside Physiotherapy a Regular Part of Their Program
Get Dedicated Treatment and Rehabilitation for Injuries
By registering to become a patient/client with a professional physiotherapy clinic in your area, the clinic will have your medical history on record. After your initial consultation/s your therapist will have an understanding of your unique biomechanics along with strengths and weaknesses. In having established this foundation, they will be better prepared to asses and prescribe a treatment and rehabilitation program for any new injury that may occur on the track, field, court, or arena. This is a far superior course of action than the purely reactionary one that most college athletes experience. As a result, you will enjoy quicker recovery time so that you can join your team and/or represent your school as soon as responsibly possible.
If you’re attending a university in the Greater Vancouver area (UBC, SFU, or other post-secondary institution with an athletics program) we encourage you to schedule a consultation with Absolute PhysioCare today.
Get Access to Sport Specific Programs for Prevention and Performance
Being prepared for injury treatment and rehabilitation are a necessary but “worse case scenario” foundation. What’s important to note, is that at the collegiate level, physiotherapy is best leveraged as a form of injury prevention and to enhance performance (the right way). Moreover, this prevention and performance enhancement program will be buttressed by a movement and exercise regime that is specific to your sport of choice. Below are examples of how physiotherapy directly benefits athletes who participate in popular college team or individual sports:
- Benefits of Physiotherapy for Football
- Benefits of Physiotherapy for Basketball
- Benefits of Physiotherapy for Tennis Players
- Benefits of Physiotherapy for Running (track and field, etc.)
- Other (contact us for your college sports specific program)
Because On-Campus Programs (if any) Are Never Enough
Larger universities often have an on-campus physiotherapist. However, they are either dedicated to a specific sports program (i.e. the football team) or conversely they are responsible for all students who need their services. As a result, the dedicated and focused attention you need for injury rehab along with prevention and performance is simply not there. It’s up to you to take responsibility for your own musculoskeletal health and seek an outside physiotherapist in your area. If you’re attending a college in the BC Lower Mainland we encourage you to schedule a consultation with Absolute PhysioCare today.
Avoid Risk of Future Dependencies
In a previous article titled the benefits of physiotherapy for sports teams we referenced the now famous Sports Illustrated article about how on how painkillers are turning young athletes into heroin addicts. Pharmaceutical companies (and physicians who prescribe opioids to collegiate athletes) are hooking users early in life. The pressures to compete and maintain athletic scholarships are clouding the vision of student athletes which makes them even more susceptible to use over their peers. A recent study uncovered some alarming data on the matter. 29 percent of student athletes reported that they felt there is nothing wrong with using painkilling drugs on the day of competition to cope with pain. These student athletes also reported that they would use painkillers to mask injury in order to continue to participate in their sport. This behavior can quickly turn into an addiction that can destroy your life, early in life.
Do not turn to painkillers for the reasons addressed above. Moreover, avoid them entirely until you first give physiotherapy a chance. We have covered this life-threatening topic in a number of past articles, so please do some homework to learn more about how physiotherapy can help you avoid future addictions and dependencies: