Young Athlete
Sport is played by young children and adolescents. It is important to maintain our fitness, strength, flexibility and balance. It is also important that after an injury we get back to playing our sport or going to the gym.
Dancers (hip hop/ballerinas), sprinters, netballers, soccer players, cricketers, and young football players are prone to injury during their growth spurts. Their bones (cortical bone) go through rapid growth at that time. Attention needs to be placed when they are presenting with symptoms in their lower back and limbs. They may be training too hard, and their symptoms may also be worsening. Advice to parents, coaches and sports teachers can be given to ease symptoms and reduce load on joints. Appropriate exercises (not stretches) and good nutrition can be given during their recovery period.
Older Athlete
Being fit and active does matter as we progress with age. Muscle tone, reflexes and balance are affected. About 75% of injuries are suffered in the lower limbs-knee, foot and ankle. Most think that when you have pain you should stop exercising as this will cause more damage. Not so!
As we “mature” beyond 30 we lose muscle tone especially in the quadriceps muscle (located in front of the thigh). There is also osteoporosis and or osteosarcopenia to consider-that is, loss of muscle tone and bony mass. This could lead to loss of strength and power in our muscles. So, we need to keep exercising-the right exercises.
You can book a physiotherapy appointment. I’m using PhysiTrack – where I have access to a lot of exercises online that would be suitable during your recovery period.
