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Sports Physical Therapy for High School Athletes

It’s important to protect high school athletes by keeping them as safe as possible while they’re competing in their chosen sports, or in any athletic endeavor. A sports physical therapist can help in numerous ways, from working with the young athlete to prevent injuries, to helping the athlete recover fully following an injury, and much more.

Whether you’re a parent, a coach, or a high school athlete, read on to learn how sports physical therapy can offer tremendous benefit.

When High School Athletes Need Sports Physical Therapy

As a specialized form of physical therapy, sports physical therapy addresses the unique needs and challenges high school athletes face on a regular basis. These athletes require specialized attention for two reasons: their bodies are still developing and growing, and they are involved in high-impact activities that put them at greater risk for injuring themselves.

Sports physical therapists work with high school students involved in athletics when:

  • The athlete is recovering from a sports- or non-sports-related injury and needs help with speeding up the recovery process, recovering completely, and going through a period of re-training to get back in shape;
  • An injury has left a specific region weak and vulnerable, and ongoing strength building needs to take place to address the muscles, bones, and connective tissues and prevent re-injury;
  • An athlete is looking for ways to improve in speed, performance, or agility; or
  • The high school athlete would benefit from learning effective ways to practice and compete that minimize the risk of injury.

There are many other instances when a coach, parent, or student would seek the help of a sports physical therapist, but the majority of cases fall within one of the categories listed above.

Their Whole Lives Ahead Of Them

What’s important to remember with high school athletes is that they’ve got their entire lives ahead of them. While sports may be everything to them now, it’s vital that they take care of themselves and avoid unnecessary risks that could lead to pain or impaired abilities for the rest of their lives. Winning the game may be important, but even more crucial is winning the game of life!

Keeping young athletes safe is a service sports physical therapists can provide to help these young people avoid injuries — including injuries from repetitive motion activities — so they can remain active and pain-free throughout their adult years.

Increased Safety

A physical therapist can teach specific exercises and warm-ups designed to work specific muscle groups in order to prevent injuries. When the therapist and the coach pair up, it’s an especially winning combination, since the coach can learn additional ways to keep all the athletes safer. Even if the coach shows no interest, any individual student — and supportive parents — can seek the help of a sports physical therapist for increased safety before, during, and after every competition.

Improved Performance

It’s understandable that a high school athlete would want to improve his or her performance, whether it’s running faster, jumping higher, or throwing a ball farther, for example. Through the right combination of exercises and therapy modalities, a sports physical therapist can help the young athlete achieve improved performance.

One way a therapist can help is by doing a running analysis, for both better performance and injury prevention. Following an analysis, the therapist can work with the athlete to improve stride, form, and technique, in order to optimize performance in any genre of sports.

Colorado In Motion: Offering Sports Physical Therapy In Northern Colorado

The therapists at Colorado In Motion are ready to work with high school athletes for injury prevention well before they’re ready to compete for their schools. Visit one of our locations throughout Northern Colorado to get the performance-enhancing, safety-promoting sports physical therapy your athlete needs to be his or her best. Make an appointment with us today!

At Colorado In Motion, we offer additional services you or your family members may benefit from. Our physical therapists regularly work with all ages, from preschoolers through our elder population, to prevent injuries, address specific issues, manage pain, and improve overall wellness. Reach out to us for all your physical therapy, occupational therapy, and sports therapy needs. We are ready to help you live your best!

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