Have you ever received an injury playing sports? If you have, you know the pain and agony behind a muscle pull or sprain. If the injury is beyond treatable, you have to sit out for the rest of the game or worse, season.
That’s where you come in. Your job as a massage therapist will be to get your client back on the field. If the sports injury has put them out of action for several games, you will have to see your client on a regular basis to get them ready to play. If your client sustains the following injuries in the midst of the game, you will need to use various massage techniques to alleviate their pain:
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Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon is located in the posterior leg. This tendon plays a vital role in all the movements of the body such as walking, jumping, and running. High adrenaline sports such as basketball and running put a significant strain on the tendon, increasing its chances of sustaining an injury. In the event of an injury, you should put ice on your client’s tendon before massaging it.
The Therapist’s Recommendation
- Perform a plantar flexion exercise to make their gastroc and soleus muscles stronger
- Stretch their tendon before going out on the field
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Ankle sprain
When the ligaments of the ankle are stretched to their limit, it will cause pain, decrease in stability, and loss of power in the lower muscles of the leg. There are three degrees of pain, which help the therapist identify how worse a person’s ankle is.
A first degree consists of a small tear in the ligament and does not hinder walking. A second degree consists of signs of obvious pain even when sitting idle. A third degree consists of a large tear in the ligament, resulting in a lot of pain. You will only be able to heal your client’s first and second degree pain, but in the case of third degree pain, your client must undergo surgery.
The Therapist’s Recommendation
- Wear an ankle support
- Incorporate a wobble board into their training to help them boost their stability and regain strength
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Broken Clavicle
When the athlete falls on his or her side or falls with his or her hand outstretched, the pressure of the force impacts the collarbone, resulting in injury. Your client may know that they have a broken clavicle by hearing the clear and loud sound of snapping and popping. Since this type of injury is the most painful, you cannot perform the massage until their bone begins to mend, if it is broken.
The Therapist’s Recommendation
- Plenty of rest
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Cervical (Neck) Injuries
The neck serves a vital function of assisting the head move from left, right, and to the back, if strained enough. In contact sports, a neck injury is categorized as a career-ending injury due to its severity. The threat of sustaining a neck injury rises, as athletes’ bulk up, putting overwhelming pressure on the neck muscles. Divers and football players are more likely to sustain this injury.
The Therapist’s Recommendation
- Passive stretches such as the CRAC and AC
- Apply a warm towel around the neck and upper shoulders to alleviate tension
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Concussion
A concussion occurs from a blow to an athlete’s head. It can cause depression, amnesia, headaches, difficult concentrating, disorientation, loss of balance, vision problems, etc. Due to the variety of symptoms associated with it, it often goes undiagnosed. If athletes suspect to have sustained a concussion, they should see a physician. If they do not go, it increases their chances of sustaining another one, which could be fatal.
The Therapist’s Recommendation
- Plenty of rest, both mentally and physically
- Stop exercising rigorously
- Avoid tasks that require you to pay a lot of attention such as video games and school work
Delayed onset muscle soreness, lower back pain, plantar fasciitis, runner’s knee, shoulder injuries, tennis elbow, groin strain, and shin splits are types of sports injuries that your client may sustain in the course of their career, You will use massage techniques to alleviate their sports injury.