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Physio Team-Works, we can help with your football injuries!

Physiotherapy, Prevent Injuries, Sports Massage

With the help of expert physios, players including Steven Gerrard and Theo Walcott regularly recover from injuries to hamstrings, quadriceps and ligaments. Find the facts and famous examples on this page

 

Dislocated shoulder – How does physiotherapy treat a dislocated shoulder?

The shoulder will be reduced and depending on the severity of the dislocation, can be surgically stabilised. Intensive physiotherapy treatment will follow, working on flexibility, muscle strengthening and confidence, to ensure the shoulder does not dislocate again.

Dislocated shoulder: famous football examples

England winger Theo Walcott suffered a series of dislocations earlier in his career, and Chelsea keeper Petr Cech dislocated his shoulder in a Champion’s League semi-final this year.

 

Groin strain – How does physiotherapy treat groin strain?

Immediate treatment will involve the ‘PRICE’ protocol (protection, rest, ice, compression and elevation).  The aim here is to reduce the bleeding and swelling from the injury site. This will also help with pain and can last for around three days.

Following this, the rehabilitation period will include gentle stretching, soft tissue work and muscle strengthening. Once properly healed, the player can start football specific drills, including jumping, running and sprinting.

For safety and to reduce the risk of re-injury, players should complete rehabilitation under the guidance of a chartered physiotherapist.

Groin strain: famous football examples

England captain Steven Gerrard recovered from a mild groin injury leading into the World Cup.

 

Hamstring strain – How does physiotherapy treat hamstring strain?

Immediate treatment will involve the ‘PRICE’ protocol (protection, rest, ice, compression and elevation).  The aim here is to reduce the bleeding and swelling from the injury site. This will also help with pain and can last for around three days.

Following this, the rehabilitation period will include gentle stretching, soft tissue work and muscle strengthening. Once properly healed, the player can start football specific drills, including jumping, running and sprinting.

For safety and to reduce the risk of re-injury, players should complete rehabilitation under the guidance of a chartered physiotherapist.

Hamstring strain: famous football examples

Michael Owen suffered multiple severe hamstring injuries throughout his career, while Spain’s Diego Costa recovered from a strain in time to play in the World Cup.

 

Thigh (quadriceps) strain – How does physiotherapy treat thigh (quad) strain?

Immediate treatment will involve the ‘PRICE’ protocol (protection, rest, ice, compression and elevation).  The aim here is to reduce the bleeding and swelling from the injury site. This will also help with pain and can last for around three days.

Following this, the rehabilitation period will include gentle stretching, soft tissue work and muscle strengthening. Once properly healed, the player can start football specific drills, including jumping, running and sprinting.

For safety and to reduce the risk of re-injury, players should complete rehabilitation under the guidance of a chartered physiotherapist.

Thigh (quadriceps) strain: famous football examples

Man United’s Robin Van Persie and Man City’s Vincent Kompany both missed a number of games this season with this injury.

 

Meniscus injury – How does physiotherapy treat meniscus injury?

Dependent on the severity of the tear, it can irritate or cause the knee joint to lock. Sometimes following the initial swelling symptoms resolve, and other times surgery is required. In this case, the meniscus is either repaired or trimmed.

Following surgery, the player will have intensive physiotherapy in order to control swelling, pain and increase muscle activation. This may include hydrotherapy and anti-gravity treadmill training initially, before starting football specific drills.

It is important that the rehabilitation is supervised by a chartered physiotherapist to reduce the risk of re-injury.

Meniscus injury: famous football examples

Liverpool’s Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez underwent intensive physiotherapy to get fit in time for the World Cup. Other players to suffer the injury in recent times include Fernando Torres, John Terry and Phil Jones.

 

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury – How does physiotherapy treat anterior cruciate ligament injury?

Rehabilitation following ACL injury is long and intensive. It is a staged process to ensure the repair (graft) does not fail from early stressors. Initial treatment will include electrical muscle stimulation, hydrotherapy, anti-gravity treadmill work and exercises for flexibility.

Football specific drills will be introduced later, starting with straight line running. Pivoting and quick turns will be introduced towards the latter stages of rehab, as these put the newly repaired ligament under the most stress. It is crucial that the player’s rehabilitation is closely monitored and progressed by a chartered physiotherapist to reduce the risk of re-injury.

Anterior cruciate ligament injury: famous football examples

Two England internationals have been struck down by ACL injuries in the run up to the world cup. The luckless Theo Walcott suffered his injury against Spurs in January, followed by Southampton striker Jay Rodriguez later in April.

 

Medial collateral ligament (MCL) sprain – How does physiotherapy treat medial collateral ligament sprain?

Immediate treatment will involve the ‘PRICE’ protocol (protection, rest, ice, compression and elevation).  The aim here is to reduce the bleeding and swelling from the injury site. This will also help with pain and can last for around three days.

As the ligaments start to heal, the player will be encouraged to put more weight through the ankle joint. The physio will then work with the player on their balance, co-ordination and muscle strength to get them back to match fitness and football specific drills.

They may use bracing techniques to support the joint during rehabilitation. It is important that the rehabilitation is guided by a chartered physiotherapist to reduce risk of re-injury.

Medial collateral ligament sprain: famous football examples

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain experienced a mild MCL sprain following a collision with a player in a World Cup warm-up against Ecuador.

 

Calf strain – How does physiotherapy treat calf strain?

Immediate treatment will involve the ‘PRICE’ protocol (protection, rest, ice, compression and elevation).  The aim here is to reduce the bleeding and swelling from the injury site. This will also help with pain and can last for around three days.

Following this, the rehabilitation period will include gentle stretching, soft tissue work and muscle strengthening. Once properly healed, the player can start football specific drills, including jumping, running and sprinting.

For safety and to reduce the risk of re-injury, players should complete rehabilitation under the guidance of a chartered physiotherapist.

Calf strain: famous football examples

Holland’s former Spurs star Rafael van der Vaart will miss the World Cup with a calf strain.

 

Sprained ankle – How do physiotherapists treat sprained ankle?

Immediate treatment will involve the ‘PRICE’ protocol (protection, rest, ice, compression and elevation). The aim here is to reduce the bleeding and swelling from the injury site. This will also help with pain and can last for around three days.

As the ligaments start to heal, the player will be encouraged to put more weight through the ankle joint.  The physio will then work with the player on their balance, co-ordination and muscle strength to get them back to match fitness and football specific drills.

It is important that the rehabilitation is guided by a chartered physiotherapist to reduce risk of re-injury.

Sprained ankle: famous football examples

Spurs winger Andros Townsend’s chances of making England’s World Cup squad were ended by an ankle ligament injury.

 

Broken metatarsal – How does physiotherapy treat a broken metatarsal?

Initially the player will be encouraged to take weight off the foot by wearing an aircast boot. Once the medical team are happy that the bone has healed sufficiently, the player will gradually return to play.

The physiotherapist will specifically work on maintaining fitness, muscle strength/length, balance and co-ordination.

Broken metatarsal: famous football examples

David Beckham and Wayne Rooney suffered high-profile metatarsal injuries before major tournaments for England, although both went on to play in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups respectively.

Rooney has suffered the injury on three occasions

football

Occupational Health – Physio Team Works CAN help!

Physiotherapy

Good work – that is, work within the capability of the person doing it – is linked to health.

Work can bring both mental and physical health benefits, and so being in work is a key determinant of health. Most people need to work and socioeconomic success is also a factor in life expectancy.

The UK population is living longer and there is an associated rise in the government pension age. As we age, most people will develop long-term health conditions that they will need to manage whilst working. The workplace now needs to support people so that their ability to contribute is sustainable.

Size of the task

  • Sickness absence from work currently costs the UK £14.3 billion
  • 40% of all UK sickness absence is due to work-related MSDs
  • Working days lost due to work-related MSDs = 5 million
  • Working days lost due to work-related stress = 9 million

The UK challenge:

health, work and austerity

At a time when the NHS is serving a growing and ageing population, the UK government estimates the need for £22 billion in NHS savings by 2020/21(3). Yet public expectation remains that access to ever improving treatment should be available to all. So the drive to reduce the welfare bill and to have people in

productive work remains a government priority.(4) There is clearly a pressing need for best value and productivity in healthcare.

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), from short term back pain to complex, long term conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, are the main reason for people being off work. These conditions can also link to mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression, which are associated with stress and are responsible for the most working days lost in the UK. Psychosocial factors such as workplace culture can in turn impact on the development of MSDs.(5)

Benefits of early referral to physiotherapy for work

  • Economic savings to the UK
  • Prevention of MSDs and work-related exacerbation of other conditions
  • Clinical effectiveness in the treatment of MSDs and other conditions affecting workers
  • High levels of staff satisfaction
  • ‘Healthy conversations‘ that support behaviour change

 

Early access to physiotherapy enables people to work;

Physiotherapy can help. It is a regulated, clinically and economically cost-effective profession.

Physiotherapists are autonomous practitioners, with the skills to accept referrals directly.

They assess, diagnose, advise and treat people in many clinical and non-clinical settings, both inside and outside of the NHS. They are experts in the prevention and treatment of MSDs and of other conditions affecting people of working age, such as cancer, cardiac, respiratory and neurological conditions.

According to Macmillan, there are currently over 750,000 people of working age living with cancer and it is predicted that there will be 17million people living with arthritis and 3 million with cancer by 2030.

Work advice from physiotherapists

All physiotherapists can give advice to help people to prevent problems related to their work. They advise employees, enabling conversations with line managers, and liaise with other health care professionals, family and carers as needed. Where a problem or health condition already exists they work with people to achieve optimal function and mobility – with work an important treatment outcome.

Physiotherapists add further value in supporting the public’s overall health. For instance, they can give specific advice about physical activity levels based on an individual’s clinical physiotherapy assessment. This can help people address concerns such as obesity, leading them to better overall health and promoting self-management of their condition.

Within the workplace, physiotherapists specialising in occupational health and ergonomics can provide targeted support in response to the needs of staff and their roles, as well as the business needs of employers. They liaise with line managers and others to promote workplace health and minimise sickness absence.

The NHS itself, the UK’s largest employer, has a high rate of sickness absence due to MSDs, costing around £400m per year. Early access to physiotherapy is now included in government measures. For instance, as part of the work generated by the Five Year Forward View aimed at reducing sickness absence in NHS workers.

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What is a Sports Massage?

Physiotherapy

Sports massage should play an important part in the life of any sportsman or woman whether they are injured or not. Massage has a number of benefits both physical, physiological and psychological.

Sports massage can help maintain the body in generally better condition, prevent injuries and loss of mobility, cure and restore mobility to injured muscle tissue, boost performance and extend the overall life of your sporting career.

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Are Mobile Devices a Pain in the Neck?

Physiotherapy

Are our tablets and smart phones a pain in the neck?! Something we would never think about possibly?

Now, just think… how do you sit when using your tablet or phone? It is not “the norm” to watch our posture when we are sat relaxing on the sofa or on the bus using our smartphones.

Sitting puts twice as much pressure through our discs in the lower back as standing, so we need to recognise we are vulnerable and take precautions to avoid any future detrimental effects on our bodies.

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