With school football season in full swing, it’s important to know how to prevent, treat and prepare for any injuries that might affect a young player. Physical therapy should be an important aspect of your season- checking in with your physical therapist is integral in order to maintain well being and proper training. The good news is that there are several clinics for physical therapy in Nassau County and Suffolk County on Long Island. Prevention and treatment are key so below are some effective and easy things that you can do to stay in the game!

Treatment and Prevention Basics

Prevention:

  • Get a proper fitness evaluation before beginning your training to know what your current fitness level is and what exact muscles you need to train and how to train them safely.
  • Warm Up
    • ALWAYS warm up before prolonged physical activity, including short practices.
      • Stretch arms, legs, hips, even feet- flexing the bottoms of your feet by pulling your big toe backward towards your body.
      • Lower limb injuries comprise about 50% of athlete injuries among football players according to the NCAA. Therefore, warming up these muscles the most might be most beneficial for athletes.
  • In-Game/Practice
    • Take frequent water breaks to hydrate, because not only does water keep you from feeling thirsty but it helps to build muscle and lubricate your joints.
    • Avoid any excess pressure on joints and muscles to prevent tears.
  • Post Game/Practice
    • Stretch after the game or practice because not only does it keep muscles flexible and prevent soreness, but it helps to prevent injury.
  • More important prevention info can be found here

Treating an Injury:

    • When in doubt, RICE
      • RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevate. Follow these four steps to help reduce inflammation and promote healing.
    • See your doctor
      • Make an appointment right away with your physician so that he or she can diagnose your injury and suggest options.
      • Sometimes surgery is necessary, but sometimes all you need to do is keep off of the injured muscle/joint/bone.
    • Rehabilitation
      • Physical therapy can help the rehabilitation process along if an injury does occur. There are plenty of clinics for physical therapy in Nassau County and Suffolk County in the case that you are in the Long Island area.

 

  • Important Note:
    • Stay active during long school breaks- Contact our Nassau County physical therapy clinic for an appointment to ensure that you are meeting all of your fitness goals. Your physical therapist can help make sure that you stay in shape for the season!

Hopefully, these tips will help you stay safe and in the case that you do acquire an injury, remember that RICE and rehab will help ensure that you have a speedy recovery in most cases. If you are looking for physical therapy in Nassau County, Advance Physical Therapy located in Wantagh and Valley Stream can help you!. Contact us today.