Summer is fast approaching and for those of us that enjoy Perth’s famous active outdoor lifestyle, the prevalence of sports injuries will increase. The team at My Physio Perth are the experts in Sports Physio in Perth. Read more about common sports injuries and treatment, composed by our Masters qualified Perth Sports Physios.

Running Injuries

• Runner’s Knee

• Patella Maltracking

• ITB Syndrome

• Achilles Tendonitis

• Shin Splints

As the weather warms up and more of us start running, many will experience injuries as we increase our running load too quickly. The bad news is that you may have to take a rest from running, but the good news is that you can be back on track in a short time with proper rehabilitation.

Many people think rest will simply heal the injury. Whilst it is good to rest, ice and reduce swelling in the early stages, it is highly recommended that you seek the advice of a sports physiotherapist to further examine the damage you may have caused. Many patients who think they have simple strains can often turn out to be something more serious, such as stress fractures or more serious knee injuries.

Swimming Injuries

• Swimmer’s Shoulder

Swimmer’s shoulder is caused by irritation of the rotator cuff tendons. It is common in swimmers due to the thousands of overhead shoulder repetitions and the resulting stress on the shoulder tendons. Swimming load, poor technique, muscle weakness and inflexibility are major culprits. Symptoms of Swimmer’s Shoulder include pain during swimming, usually in the recovery phase (arm out of water) or pull phase when the arm is required to pull against the water to propel you forward. Without professional sports physio rehab, Swimmer’s Shoulder can progress, ultimately affecting performance and requiring significant time out of the pool. My Physio Perth provides swimming specific screening assessments, enabling them to provide you with an individualised program to improve performance and prevent injury.

Cycling Injuries

• ACJ / Clavicle fractures

They say you’re not a true cyclist until you’ve fractured your clavicle (collarbone) or injured your AC Joint. Clavicle fractures and AC Joint injuries are caused by a fall onto the point of the shoulder or an outstretched arm. They are accompanied by severe and immediate pain, which later changes to an ache at rest and sharp pain with any movement of the arm. These are significant sports injuries that should be examined by a medical professional, including appropriate imaging like Xray and MRI. Our leading Perth sports physios can assist with your follow up rehabilitation.

Soccer Injuries

• Ankle Sprains

• Knee Sprains

Ankle sprains are the most common sports injury and are usually caused by twisting or rolling the ankle. This is accompanied by immediate pain, typically on the outside of the ankle. We recommend stopping sport immediately and commencing the RICE program (rest, ice, compression and elevation). Thorough assessment, treatment and rehabilitation by an expert sports physio is required to rule out serious damage, ensure adequate healing and prevent further ankle sprains.

Knee sprains such as ACL and MCL injuries are far more serious. These are most commonly caused by twisting but can also occur due to forceful contact. You will experience immediate pain and possibly a feeling of instability. You should stop sport immediately, commence the RICE protocol and see one of My Physio Perth’s Sports Physios at your earliest convenience.

Basketball, Volleyball and Netball Injuries

• Jumper’s Knee

• Ankle and Knee Sprains

Patella tendonitis, better known as jumper’s knee is a painful overuse condition affecting the patella tendon which is just below the kneecap. It is common in sports involving jumping such as basketball and volleyball. Jumper’s knee requires careful rehabilitation to ensure it doesn’t progress into a chronic sports injury.

Tennis Injuries

• Shoulder Pain

• Tennis Elbow

Shoulder pain in tennis is common, especially during serving. Muscle weakness, stiffness and technique flaws are among the common causes of shoulder pain when serving. Act quickly as this can quickly progress to more serious injuries such as rotator cuff tears.

Tennis elbow can quickly progress from a mild pain on the outside of the elbow during tennis to disabling pain, which prevents you from gripping and lifting everyday items such as kettles and frying pans. If rest from tennis doesn’t settle your tennis elbow pain, see one of our sports physios for expert assessment and rehab. This will likely include taping, massage, dry needling and strengthening exercises.

Are you experiencing any of the symptoms listed above? Get back in the game by booking an appointment with a professional Sports Physiotherapist at My Physio Perth.