416 Ilam Road, Fendalton, Christchurch 8052

416 Ilam Road, Fendalton, Christchurch 8052

Osteopathy For Sports Injuries & Performance

Published by Better Health Osteopathy on 23 February 2020, Sports Injuries

Whether you enjoy sports to keep active,  or compete at a professional level, sporting injuries are a common occurrence for people of all ages. The very nature of some sports can be tough on the body from repeatedly performing the same type of manoeuvres, through to the physical strain placed on the body during contact sports.

Can Osteopathy help treat and prevent sports injuries and improve overall sporting performance? The short answer is yes! We treat lots of different types of sports injuries in our clinic. Read on for more information on how Osteopathic treatment can help you perform better, heal faster, and reach your sporting goals.

Osteopathy In NZ Sport

In New Zealand, Osteopathic treatment of sports injuries is slowly increasing in popularity across an array of sporting professions. This awareness of the benefits of using an Osteopath in sports is found in everyone from the elite athlete to the weekend warrior, and fitness enthusiasts through to teenagers suffering from sports injuries. At Better Health Osteopathy, we treat a wide array of sporting enthusiasts including;  rugby players, soccer players, martial artists, weightlifters, skiers, bikers and runners.

Osteopathy is often used to:

  1. To treat sports injuries
  2. Prevent injury occurring / re-occurring
  3. Promote sports performance

Sports Injuries From An Osteopath Perspective

Osteopathic treatment focuses on accurate diagnosis, help with pain management, provision of tailor-made rehabilitation plans, advice on preventing further injury and how to enhance sports performance.  Osteopathic treatment works because it focuses collectively on muscle and tissue imbalances as well as joint mobility and alignment across the whole body. Osteopaths look at the body as a whole and understand that sports injuries are often the result of underlying imbalances and spinal restrictions within the body.

Improve Your Performance With Osteopathic Treatment

Osteopaths are now being used more and more by high-level sporting professionals and teams to address their sporting injuries and to improve performance. Used most effectively as both a remedial and preventative measure, Osteopathy in sport aims to assist the body to remain in optimum condition, thereby reducing the risk of injury in the future and aiding a speedy recovery. Osteopaths take a global view of how the body works and believe that the whole body acts as one unit – hence Osteopaths will always thoroughly investigate the real source of the problem and treat the true underlying cause of the injury.

Some examples of Osteopathy in sport are; worldwide sporting events such as the Football World Cup – the England Soccer team brings their own dedicated osteopath along with them. Osteopaths have even been seen pitchside at Tennis Opens in Wimbledon with Roger Federer famously using an Osteopath to treat his injured shoulder mid-game. During the Olympic Games, there are often dedicated teams of Osteopaths onsite who treat top Olympic athletes, across many different sporting genres. Osteopaths have also been known to look after NASA Astronauts in space!

Sports Injuries Suitable For Osteopathic Treatment

There is a wide range of sporting injuries which are suitable for Osteopathic treatment, these include but are not limited to:

  • Pulled muscles
  • Groin strain
  • Plantar Fasciitis
  • Achilles Tendonitis
  • Hamstring strain
  • ITB syndrome (iliotibial band) – Runners’ knee
  • Tennis Elbow and Golfers Elbow
  • Knee Injuries
  • Ankle Sprain
  • Shin Splints
  • Pulled calf muscles
  • Hip Strain
  • Shoulder Pain

How Will Osteopathy Help With My Sports Injury?

Osteopathic treatment can help by alleviating pain and the immediate symptoms of an injury, assisting in your recovery and rehabilitation, and prevention of further injuries, whilst working towards improving overall long-term performance, helping you reach your sporting goals sooner.

During your appointment with our Osteopaths, a thorough case history and examination will be undertaken. Your diagnosis will be explained to you, along with an outline of all your treatment options. A tailor-made treatment and rehabilitation programme will be developed and likely aim to:

  • Provide natural pain relief.
  • Provide ongoing Osteopathic treatment to the injury.
  • Refer for MRI, X-ray or Ultra-sound, if needed.
  • Address other areas of dysfunction in your body which could impede healing.
  • Provide a rehabilitation programme.
  • Provide treatment and advice which will aim to prevent further sports injuries.
  • Improve overall sporting performance.
  • Aid in your return to sport in as quick a time as possible.

If you are struggling with a sports injury – definitely get in touch and we will do our best to help return you to peak performance! Please do not hesitate to contact Lorraine Herity at Better Health Osteopathy in Christchurch today. Call 027 755 5700 or book online.

Better Health Osteopathy

Lorraine Herity is the Clinic Director of Better Health Osteopathy in Christchurch, New Zealand. She previously worked in Osteopathic clinics in London and Ireland, before moving to New Zealand. Lorraine trained at the British School of Osteopathy in London, where she gained her Master of Osteopathy (M.Ost). Lorraine is a dedicated and passionate Osteopath. Her main aim is to help her patients regain their health and to return her patients back to their everyday activities, in as quick a time as possible. Lorraine is also a clinic tutor on the Osteopathic Course in Ara and relishes the opportunity to teach the next generation of osteopaths.