A little knowledge is a dangerous thing 🧾

Injury can happen to anyone no matter your age, gender or athletic ability. However, there are some factors to consider that may make you more susceptible to certain injuries whether that be sports related injuries or non-sports related.

One factor that may affect your injury risk is your knowledge and beliefs relating to training and injury.  

Knowledge and beliefs

The classic saying “No pain no gain” when referring to training and injury is now considered old fashioned and has virtually no evidence to support it. Despite this, some personal trainers and athletes still follow this principle, which may not only cause them injury but could also intensify a pre-existing injury.

Remember, some pain is beneficial to us all as it protects us from further and more significant harm, but pushing through the pain defeats the whole purpose of the body’s pain mechanism. For further details on how the body’s pain mechanism works and examples of why having a “no pain, no gain” mentality increases the risk of injury, visit our blog post on Pain.

As a physiotherapist, load management is a concept I explain very frequently to patients. In order to understand why you are getting pain and how to stop it you must have knowledge of the basic principles of load management and training progressions.

If you don’t have this knowledge, you are unlikely to be training at your optimal training load therefore putting yourself at increased risk of injury, either from over training or under training.

Remember, training doesn’t just have to be in the gym or playing sport, it can refer to completing everyday tasks and activities like cleaning the house.

Lastly, not seeking professional help from the right specialist for your injury or waiting too long to seek help can also increase your risk of injury. The longer you wait to get help the longer your rehabilitation time will be and the greater the risk you are putting yourself at to start developing guarding behaviours, fear of movement, changes to your movement patterns and in some circumstances increasing the intensity of the injury.

If you have the belief that leaving an injury long enough without rehab will always result in resolution of the injury you are likely to experience multiple setbacks when you return to your sport or activities.

At Back2Front Physiotherapy we have a highly qualified and experienced team of physiotherapists and massage therapists that are able to assess, diagnose and treat all forms of musculoskeletal injuries from the acute stages (first 24 hours) to the chronic stages (3 months+). If you would like more information on an injury or to book an appointment please contact the clinic directly or book online via our website.

TOP TIPS TO TAKE HOME

1. Pushing yourself through excessive amounts of pain will not always benefit you unless you have been advised to do this by a professional who is closely monitoring your injury

2. Educate yourself about your injury and rehabilitation

3. Seek professional advice from a specialist trained in injury assessment and treatments, like a physiotherapist