Extreme sports are traditionally defined as sports or activities that involve a relatively high degree of risk and often a high degree of speed. Examples of these sports include:

• BMX
• Dirt bike riding and motocross
• Mountain biking
• Freestyle skiing
• Skateboarding
• Rock climbing or ice climbing
• Skydiving

WHAT KINDS OF INJURIES DO PTs TREAT IN EXTREME ATHLETES?

Given the nature of the activities in which many extreme athletes are involved, the types of injuries incurred are highly variable. Injuries may occur due to accidents while performing their sport or as a result of training in the gym, for example. Along with post surgical rehab, here is a list of some of the injuries that PT’s treat in extreme athletes:

• Muscle contusions
• Tendinopathy or tendonitis
• Fractures
• Muscle, tendon or ligament tears
• Sprains and strains
• Joint pain
• Back pain
• Concussions and head injuries

WHY CHOOSE PHYSICAL THERAPY?

Physical therapists are experts in the assessment and treatment of musculoskeletal and neurologic conditions and injuries like the ones listed above. Most extreme athletes will do anything they can to avoid having to take time off from their sport. Whether it is their job to earn money through their sport or simply an important part of a well-rounded and happy life, maintaining a healthy and injury-free body is a priority.

Injury Rehabilitation

PTs treat acute and chronic injuries as well as offer post-surgical and pre-surgical rehabilitation. In fact, addressing an injury early on is a great way to facilitate faster and more complete healing rather than employing the “wait and see” approach. This approach can lead to more serious injuries and longer recovery time which may result in stopping your training and activities for a while.

PTs aim to get at the root cause of an injury. Sometimes, in the event of a BMX crash, for example, the cause of the injury is pretty obvious and may have been unavoidable. In other cases such as low back pain caused by an improper seat height on a mountain bike or tendinopathy of the wrist in a rock climber, identifying the contributing factors is an important part of facilitating long-term recovery. So while your PT will certainly address symptoms of pain, stiffness and inflammation, they will also address the impairments that may have led to the injury. Some examples of impairments that a PT will address are as follows:

• Muscle strength, power and endurance deficits
• Flexibility and mobility issues
• Motor control impairments
• Faulty movement patterns and technique
• Cardiorespiratory fitness limitations

In addition to this, your PT will take into consideration external factors that may be contributing to your injury. These include things such as:

• Sleep
• Nutrition
• Recovery time
• Training schedule
• History of prior injury
• Training environment
• The mental and physical demands of the sport

With this information in hand you will receive a personalized and comprehensive injury rehabilitation protocol.

Injury Prevention

Perhaps the only thing better than fully recovering from an injury is preventing it in the first place. As mentioned earlier, some injuries are out of your hands, but having a sport-specific and individualized prehabilitation program can help you prevent as many as possible. As physical therapists analyzing the demands of your extreme sport and combining them with the physical attributes of your body and training approach, we can advise you on exercises that you can incorporate into your routine to minimize injury risk where you can and hopefully help you perform even better at your sport!