Sprains and broken bones are common injuries that people experience when going about their daily activities. Anyone can suffer a sprain or a break regardless of age, gender, or activity level. This can happen from engaging in a sporting activity, carrying a heavy load, stepping on an uneven surface, or losing your balance. What makes this even worst is that you can’t predict a sprain or a break.
There are no clear risk factors to watch out for, even though experts predict excessive pronation, strength, and flexibility as possible indications. One thing you must know is that one risk factor from a past sprain can also cause future sprains or breaks. This is the main reason why you need to seek proper treatment and therapy after the injury.
If you’ve suffered a physical injury resulting in a fracture or a broken bone, you understand that this can be extremely painful. You need immediate medical attention to stop the pain as well as start the healing process. You may need to undergo a surgical procedure known as an open reduction internal fixation (ORIF). This surgery helps restore the born pieces to facilitate the healing process. There are also less aggressive options from knee doctor Ft. Lauderdale OSI that can accelerate healing.
Your doctor will then need to stabilize or immobilize the born to facilitate further healing. If you suffered a simple sprain, you would need a removable cast that applies a gentle motion to the injury. For complex breaks or sprains, your doctor will apply a non-removable cast. You may also need a sling to keep your arm immobile. Everything is done to ensure you undergo a proper treatment that will aid faster recovery from a sprain and knee doctor Ft. Lauderdale.
Helps you Return to Optimum Function
A break or a sprain can badly interfere with your way of life and render you completely useless. You need physical therapy to help you go back to your normal functioning as soon as possible. The first therapy will help you learn how to use assistive devices such as crutches if you have a leg injury. It will take you time, and a lot of practice to learn a new skill, and your therapist will be there for you. They can also teach you weight-bearing restrictions so that you don’t put too much strain on the injured part. If you have a sling for an arm injury, you need a therapist to teach you how to wear and remove it on your own.
Ensure Increased Stability
You need the services of a physiotherapist to return to your normal activity levels as soon as possible. You also need to restore your body structure the way it was before the injury. Another reason for the treatment is to protect the structure of the injured part from any further damage. Weight-bearing devices, elevation, and compression are all required for this. You need to increase the stability of the injured part for faster recovery.
The goal of the therapy is to ensure you return to your normal strength. This is achieved through balance and functional activities. If you happen to return to your normal activity without stability or strengthening the program given by a physiotherapist, you may put yourself at risk of getting another injury at the same spot. Believe it or not, a second injury can be more severe than the first.
Physical Therapy Prevents Stiffness
Once you begin your healing process after a break or a sprain, you’re likely to experience stiffness. If this is not solved soon enough, you might experience this for months, which can interfere with your healing process. One thing to keep in mind is that stiffness will not go away without a knee doctor Ft. Lauderdale intervention. A therapist will ensure you receive proper joint mobilization and apply all the necessary treatments to solve the problem.
If this is not done on time, stiffness and improper healing may result in even more complex problems such as compensation of the muscles or joints. This may interfere with your normal body alignment changing your mobility patterns. Your movement may end up becoming unnatural and inefficient because of the unnecessary stress placed in some parts of your body. This can also create an ideal environment for further injury.
Therapists Provide a Program that Prevents Future Injuries
They say prevention is better than cure. If you’ve suffered a sprain or a broken bone before, it’s natural for you to want to know how to prevent any of that from occurring again. Well, this can also be the work of your physiotherapist. A therapist is not only tasked with the treatment process but also to recommend a home exercise program that can prevent future injuries. This program may entail proper balances and how to improve flexibility and strength. You must know that having a sprain once puts you at risk of future sprains or breaks.
Here is a list of things that your therapist is likely to recommend to avoid any further or future injuries:
• Use devices such as footwear for activities that might put you at risk
• Ensure you warm up before engaging in any vigorous sporting activities or workout
• Adapt proper balance and strength exercises often
• Watch your weight
• Use braces and ankle wraps whenever necessary
There is a misconception that sprains don’t require much treatment because they occur too often, and the pain can go away with time. Don’t assume that as soon as the pain subsides, you’re recovered. If you don’t see a physiotherapist, you might suffer lasting symptoms, which can put you at risk of further injuries or even a break in the future. You may also suffer long term issues such as stiffness, pain, and instability. Contact OSI, your trusted knee doctor Ft. Lauderdale today if you have a sprain or other problem.