Sports Physical Therapy vs Regular Physical Therapy: Understanding the Differences
What makes us different from typical in-person and telehealth clinics.
What makes us different from typical in-person and telehealth clinics.
Physical therapy is a form of healthcare that focuses on restoring movement, reducing pain, and improving overall function. It’s a common treatment option for individuals with musculoskeletal injuries or conditions. However, not all physical therapy is created equal. There are two main types of physical therapy: regular physical therapy and sports physical therapy. In this post, we’ll explore the differences between the two.
What is Regular Physical Therapy?
Regular physical therapy, also known as traditional physical therapy, is focused on treating patients with a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions and injuries. This can include conditions like arthritis, back pain, and post-surgical rehabilitation. The goal of regular physical therapy is to help patients regain their strength, flexibility, and range of motion through targeted exercises, manual therapy, and other treatments.
What is Sports Physical Therapy?
Sports physical therapy, on the other hand, is focused specifically on athletes and individuals who are physically active. The goal of sports physical therapy is to help athletes recover from sports-related injuries and improve their athletic performance. This type of physical therapy often involves working with athletes to help them return to their sport as soon as possible while also reducing the risk of future injuries.
Differences Between Regular Physical Therapy and Sports Physical Therapy
1. Patient Population: Regular physical therapy is typically geared towards patients with a wider range of conditions and injuries, while sports physical therapy is focused specifically on athletes and physically active individuals.
2. Treatment Approach: Regular physical therapy is focused on helping patients regain their strength and mobility, while sports physical therapy is focused on helping athletes improve their athletic performance while also reducing the risk of future injuries.
3. Treatment Techniques: Regular physical therapy may involve a wider range of treatments, including manual therapy, electrical stimulation, and other techniques. Sports physical therapy, on the other hand, often involves sport-specific exercises, biomechanical assessments, and functional movement training.
4. Goal of Treatment: The goal of regular physical therapy is to help patients regain their strength, flexibility, and range of motion, while the goal of sports physical therapy is to help athletes recover from injuries and improve their athletic performance.
Regular physical therapy and sports physical therapy are two distinct types of physical therapy with different patient populations, treatment approaches, techniques, and goals. If you’re an athlete or physically active individual, sports physical therapy may be a better option for you. At Warrior, we specialize in offering online sports physical therapy. Meet a Warrior physical therapist over video call to get started today on your sports physical therapy journey.
