Physical Therapy Can Help You Get Ready For Fun and Fitness This Summer
Have you been looking forward to getting out on the trails this summer? Are you concerned about your fitness level or an old persistent injury? At GTS Physical Therapy, we are experienced in dealing with all summer season injuries. We can help you recover from an injury, give you the programs to prepare you for the season, and even help prevent new injuries!
We’ve finally gotten past the cold winter months, and now with the warmer weather here, it’s time to make sure you are ready for a fun, active season. Hiking is one of the most popular recreational activities in the US. It is estimated that as many as 45 million Americans will hike this year.
At GTS Physical Therapy, we know that getting active improves your health, mobility, and overall quality of life and can help ensure you are physically ready for whatever activity you choose.
If you’re struggling with chronic pain, dealing with a new injury, or just looking for tips to get in better shape, we can help!
Request an appointment today, and let us help you get prepared for pain-free fun in the sun!
Things you can do to prevent hiking-related injuries
Hiking is one of the best activities for health and fitness. It is also one of the best ways to get into nature for our mental well-being. Our physical therapist understands how important hiking is to your overall health, and we love helping make sure you get to experience nature through hiking.
The two main types of hiking injuries are traumatic and overuse injuries. Traumatic injuries include falls or rolling the ankle (sprains and strains). Overuse injuries are typically tendon-related due to long hikes or repetitive strains from going up and down steep inclines.
Our team will examine other factors like your fitness levels, pre-trip training, and planning to determine appropriate strategies to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries on your hike. Some important considerations include:
Boots: There are a lot of considerations for determining proper footwear. Making sure your boot fits appropriately can eliminate the risk of blisters and other injuries. Next to comfort, support for the ankle and foot is crucial in a hiking boot.
Not a lot of people know that your boot height and the stiffness of the boot can influence your ankle joint range of motion. Because the ankle and knee joint work together, a boot with a high shaft will redistribute the load from the ankle to the knee joint. This can lead to overuse strains at the knee.
Hiking/trekking poles: Trekking poles can help to protect your knees, especially when walking down steep hills. The poles help absorb some of the load on the knees while aiding your balance on the uneven ground.
Hiking poles also help to improve your power and endurance when you walk uphill. And using the poles helps to improve your posture and assist in a more natural gait, which helps improve your efficiency and tolerance to hiking.
Be prepared: Making sure to dress appropriately, stay hydrated and, bring healthy, high-energy foods are a must for any hiker!
If you are ready to get in shape and improve your fitness levels for the warmer months ahead, let’s work together to ensure you have an awesome summer!
What to expect in your physical therapy sessions
The overall goal of physical therapy is to treat any injury, help resolve your pain, restore motion and strengthen the affected area to prevent additional injury. Our rehabilitation programs depend on a thorough history to understand the exact nature of the pain/injury and your goals. We use the information gathered in the initial evaluation to identify the underlying condition and pathology of the symptoms.
The initial stages of physical therapy will focus on restoring any lost motion, reducing the swelling, and using all available treatments to alleviate any pain you may experience. Your physical therapist will incorporate treatment manual techniques and modalities to reduce your pain and inflammation.
As you progress, our therapists will design a comprehensive program that includes restoring range of motion, strengthening, neuromuscular control, proprioceptive responses, and activity-specific exercises. We will address any underlying issue, such as a weakness contributing to altered movement patterns, balance issues, and overall susceptibility to more injuries.
At GTS Physical Therapy, our physical therapists will evaluate your current physical condition and assess your fitness levels. It doesn’t matter if you need an assistive device (i.e., a walker or cane) or if you’re a serious athlete; physical therapy can help you get into better shape, reduce your chance of injury, and eliminate pain from sore muscles and joints.
Request an appointment at GTS Physical Therapy today!
If you are rehabilitating an injury, unsure of your exercise tolerance, or battling a particular chronic pain issue, it’s a great idea to get in touch with a GTS Physical Therapy physical therapist. Our team will help you create a plan to make sure you are ready this summer!
Contact us today to set up an appointment!