Injuries are prevalent. Some even develop soft tissue injuries, especially if an injury takes longer to heal.  Sports players and athletes are prone to physical injuries. But Georgia sports medicine helps them recover quickly, lead a healthy lifestyle, and enjoy their sports or athletic life.

There are sports medicine medics who are experts in treating sports-related injuries. These specialists employ modern technology that enables them to identify the cause of an injury.  After establishing the root cause, they come up with a suitable treatment plan. That way, sports, and athletic enthusiasts can get back to the field after a short while.

The other most reliable technique for treating severe physical/ tissue injuries is through physical therapy. It helps one to recover faster after sustaining body injuries.  Physical therapists diagnose and treat soft tissue injuries. Besides, these experts know how to determine the healing phase of each individual. Also, they come up with strategies to speed up the recovery process. Below are recovery phases, as described by physical therapists.

Stage one; Protection Phase/ Acute Stage

Soft tissue injuries are referred to as acute injuries.  This is the initial stage when the wound is still fresh and bleeding or even swelling. At the moment, the body struggles to protect the tissues from excessive damage. Acute symptoms usually reduce after 2-4 days. However, all this depends on how an individual is treating their injury.

Injury treatment involves several activities including;

  •         Ultrasound
  •         Electrical stimulation
  •         Heat/Ice
  •         Kinesiotaping

After sustaining an injury, the chances of developing an inflammation are high. An individual may also undergo severe pain. In such a case, gentle movement helps to improve mobility.

Sub-Acute Phase

Soft tissue injuries are categorized as subacute after the body fixes the injured body tissues. This phase can last for over six weeks. At the time, the body will be trying to create new soft tissues. In fact, some bodies may heal on their own since the existing scar tissue will start to strengthen and mature.

During this stage, more physical exercises are needed to stabilize the condition and strengthen the injured area.

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Late-stage

After an injury, the body starts the healing process. That may last for about six weeks, but that does not mean that the body will automatically stop the healing process precisely at six weeks. So, healing will continue. At six weeks, the post-soft tissue injury tends to be mature, but it can tear off when a person stretches or stresses the scar tissue. This is to say that it’s not entirely healed. Hence, it can’t withstand a person’s aggregating physical demand.

Whenever an individual’s body realizes that the repaired body tissues are still weak, it starts to form additional tissues to support and strengthen the new tissue. The tissue is strengthened until it’s in a position to withstand physical function and normal exercises.

Actually, from 6 weeks to 3 months, post-injury duration is termed as the remodeling phase. The treatment process is mainly based on progression, then back to the pre-injury stage. Furthermore, the use of modality is lessened.

Strengthening exercises also change at this point.

Stage 4; Final stage /remodeling/ ongoing repair

This is the final stage, and the tissue is repaired from 3 to 12 months. It takes some months for the scar tissues to align correctly and gain tensile strength. This phase aims at increasing the quality and strength of the new tissue. As a result, there will be no cases of re-injury. At this stage, treatment is directed on sport and specific activity. This is meant to prepare for the injured site demands. Education on how to prevent a re-injury is essential.

Let’s look at different types of pains and how to treat them.

Calf Pain

The calf has two muscles, which are the soleus and the gastrocnemius. The two muscles adjoin at the Achilles tendon. The latter connects directly to the heel. Therefore, the foot or leg motion uses the two muscles.

However, calf pain differs from one person to the other. But the common symptoms of calf muscle pain include sharp pain or dull, aching. At times, one may experience tightness on their lower leg or back. Below are symptoms that indicate severe calf muscle pain.

  •         Swelling
  •         The calf may turn pale, and a person might experience unusual coolness
  •         Leg weakness
  •         Fluid retention
  •         Calf tenderness, warmth, and redness, among others.
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What is the best calf muscle pain treatment?

Calf muscle pain treatment method is based on the cause. However, most of the muscle pain triggers can be solved at home. Below are tips on how to address mild or moderate calf pain.

Resting, icing, compressing and elevating the leg.

The above are the primary principles of controlling calf pain. By raising the leg above your heart’s level helps to reduce swelling.

OTC Medications

There are several pain relievers used as calf muscle pain treatment. Among them are naproxen and ibuprofen.

Stretching

Stretching is helpful in that it helps to control calf pain. But this only applies when the pain subsides slightly. Only then can one stretch the calf muscles. Some exercise that helps to reduce calf muscle pain are-

  •         Calf raises
  •         Straight calf stretches
  •         Downward-facing dog

But people with severe muscle pain are advised to do physical therapy through a physical therapist’s help.

Why should you go for Physical Therapy after an Injury?

If the doctor recommends that you go for physical therapy, then it’s for a good cause. Some injuries require extra care to heal completely. A physical therapist may advise patients to continue treatment to speed up healing in the affected region even after surgery. Physical therapy helps relieve pain, prevent future injuries, lower the risk of re-injury, and restore mobility. Also, it reduces the risk among people prone to arthritis.

Finally, ignoring physical therapy may lead to lifelong consequences. An individual’s health and body functionality may be at risk due to a lack of physical therapy after sustaining a severe injury. If one is a sports fanatic, they cannot enjoy their favorite sport. Therefore, injured patients should take their doctor’s advice seriously and see a physical therapist if need be.