What to Expect in a Sports Therapy Consultation

Sports therapy can be implemented to treat a range of injuries, from shoulder pain to ankle pain and everything in between, and in this article you can read all about what happens in an initial consultation here at LMH Optimal Therapy.

Despite the term 'sports therapy', an injury isn't required to be sports-related to be treated by a sports therapist. A consultation for a sports therapy treatment is about 60 minutes long, and consists of:

• History taking of the injured area

• Testing on your muscles & joints

• Assessments of your functional movement

• Initial treatment (where appropriate)

This will then be followed up with a written report of your diagnosis, treatment plan and exercises for you to complete at home.

History Taking

At the beginning of your appointment, your sports therapists will sit down with you and ask you some relevant questions pertaining to your injury. These will be questions like 'How did the injury occur?' and 'What makes the pain better or worse?' This will help your sports therapist gain a better understanding of your condition and how to provide you with the best treatment possible!

Muscle & Joint Testing

Next your sports therapist will begin some brief tests on your muscles & joints. These tests aim to determine where the issue originates, as well as where the pain is felt most. Your sports therapists will also implement some tests to compare muscle strength, muscle control, and muscle quality - all of which will help them to decide on the best approach for your individual case. This will also help them to gain a better understanding of how you are likely to respond to treatment.

Functional Movement Assessment

Following these tests your sports therapist will complete an assessment of your movement abilities within the injured area and any connected zones of your body. You will be asked to complete movements specific to your lifestyle and requirements (e.g. tennis movements if you play tennis, or squats if you are required to complete heavy lifting at work). During these movements, your sports therapist will be looking for signs of stress on your body caused by your injury, and considering how and where to treat you to best improve your mobility and ease your pain.

Initial Treatment

In most cases, your initial consultation will also include your first treatment. This will be a deep tissue massage conducted by your sports therapist, during which they will focus on the specific areas that require immediate attention. The treatment aims to reduce the pain, relieve discomfort, and increase mobility. This will also give you a taste of what your future appointments will be like!

After your initial consultation, your appointments will usually be 30 minutes or 45 minutes, and will involve a range of muscle rehabilitation techniques, massage therapy, functional rehabilitation and an individualised rehabilitation plan.

What to Expect After Your Appointment

When you leave your appointment it's possible that you may feel a little tender. Make sure you drink plenty of fluids, and if you are sore you can apply ice or a cold pack to the area. Don't worry - it's completely normal to feel like you've done a workout at the gym! The muscle ache should start to ease after a day or two.