Sports Medicine: Sports medicine includes: injury prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation; performance enhancement through training, nutrition and psychology; management of medical problems; exercise prescription in health and in chronic disease states; the specific need of exercising in children, females, older people and those with permanent disabilities; medical care of sporting teams and events; medical care in situation of altered physiology, such as at altitude or at depth; and ethical issues, such as the problem of drug abuse in sports.
Sports Physiotherapy is the specialised branch of physiotherapy which deals with injuries and issues related to sports people.
Sports injuries do differ to everyday injuries. Athletes normally require high level performance and demand placed upon their body, which stresses their muscles, joints and bones to the limit. Sports physiotherapists help athletes recover from sporting injuries, and provide education and resources to prevent problems. Each sports physiotherapist usually has sport-specific knowledge that addresses acute, chronic and overuse injuries. Their services are generally available to sports men and women of all ages engaged in sports at any level of competition.
Role of Physiotherapists in Sports:
DECONDITIONING: Deconditioning is a gradual physiological process whereby the level of physical conditioning and corresponding physical performance ability of the individual is reduced. On a more sport-specific level, deconditioning is sometimes used as a planned period of inactivity to achieve a specific physiological end. Deconditioning often occurs as the result of a cycle that begins with an injury, when the athlete does not maintain a level of physical activity through the period of recovery. Although the period within which deconditioning will occur varies from athlete to athlete, a measurable loss of muscular and cardiovascular fitness will be observed in most athletes after a period of inactivity of 14 days or longer.
* Arrhythmia is a condition that can cause heart rate to accelerate out of control, leading to heart failure and death if first aid in the form of defibrillation is not immediately available. Arrhythmia is a condition that is both genetic in origin as well as presenting as a factor contributing to the overdeveloped heart muscle wall observed in some elite-level athletes.
CONDITIONING: Conditioning exercises are body movements that increase athletic skill and physical fitness while decreasing the likelihood of sports injuries. Programs may include weight training, aerobic exercise, plyometrics, calisthenics, and exercises based on real-life motions.
Principles of Rehabilitation:
Recovery
Motivating Athletes:
Sports Fitness Training at Dr. Ketan Bhatikar’s SPARC