Are you a CrossFit athlete in Greenville SC? CrossFit is the definition of making FITNESS A SPORT! The hard work, dedication, and grit within a team environment cannot be matched. But when you push the limits of your body, tissues and aerobic capacity then you increase the likelihood of injuring yourself. With that being said tweaks, injuries and irritations are all part of working out.
In my experience, athletes who have been participating in CrossFit for greater than 8 months tend to see breakdowns in their performance. Their skills have been developed, and their endurance and strength have increased due to a boost in enthusiasm from their community. At this point, athletes have been lifting long enough that they are not watched and corrected as closely, so form becomes a frequent sacrifice for the sake of faster or more reps. Low back, hip, knee and shoulder injuries continue to crop up as the main forms of neuromusculoskeletal injury present in the CrossFit population.
In treating this athletic population, there is no healthcare provider better prepared than the Physical Therapist. Now earning a Doctorate, the physical therapist's education and experience includes extensive training in examination and evaluation which provides the skills necessary to recognize and address acute/overuse injuries and screen for additional issues that may necessitate a referral.
Often mishandled by the medical community, the CrossFit athlete ends up under the “care” of physicians, chiropractors or physical therapists who remain ignorant to the demands of the sport while simply handing out the rehearsed “stop doing CrossFit” mantra. Even worse many of those same clinicians view the athletes as fantastic money makers who will be poorly managed, remain dysfunctional and eventually require more extensive and costly treatment to return to sport.
In the event that an athlete attempts to self-treat, they are met with an overwhelming amount of treatment suggestions in all forms: books, videos, self-mobilization/stretching with bands, self-myofascial release with lacrosse balls, expensive muscle stimulators, power tool massagers, foam rollers, friends, CrossFit coaches, etc. --- all good things if used appropriately.
However, research has repeatedly shown that a physical therapist operating as the primary care provider for neuromusculoskeletal conditions is safe, cost effective and improves outcomes. The athlete could save time, money and frustration and see better outcomes working with a clinician with an extensive background in movement science, biomechanics and physiology to develop a focused plan of treatment.
If you have questions about your pain/injury/limitation, or are interested in injury prevention, then please email us by clicking HERE, or call us at (864) 881-1712. We would love to take some time to help you.
If you need a physical therapist to evaluate, treat, or prevent your pain/injury/limitation, then click HERE to schedule an appointment today.