Getting back to your sport as an athlete

There are various forms of athleticism.  An elite athlete performs professionally and fitness is a livelihood.  The rest of us might not make a living off of sports, but they are an important component of our lives and a major fitness motivator for us.  Getting back to performing as an athlete should be one of the major goals in treating back pain. 

• Firstly, if you are an athlete you have already overcome several hurdles necessary to get back to your sport. You have a solid conditioning base, a strong core and a drive and determination to succeed.
• Rehab and physical therapy is pivotal to maintaining conditioning, core strength and re-establishing your ability to perform the same repetitive physical activities required by your sport. Your rehab should focus on the activities required by your sport.  For example, a surfer will require low back and shoulder strength.  A golfer will require flexibility and probably an adjusted swing technique.
• Therapy should consist of a wide breadth of techniques. Strength training, core strengthening and cardiovascular conditioning will be important to any athlete.  Your therapist should also be able to evaluate you for spinal instability and whether or not certain motions and postures aggravate your condition.
• Many times there are joint injuries associated with the back injuries. Treating these joints, like the shoulders and knees, will be essential to getting you back to your sport.
• Working with professional instructors to overcome limitations brought on by injuries is an important part of rehab. Professional instructors can adjust your technique to minimize pain while maintaining performance.
• If your back or neck pain continues despite 4-6 weeks of therapy, it’s important for your doctor to consider more serious causes of pain before getting back to your sport. This usually involves getting an MRI.
• Beware of the “normal” MRI in an athlete that has continuing pain. A neck joint injury can cause a life time of pain and will not be seen on an MRI.  A “bulging disc” may actually represent an internal tear of the disc.  These conditions may require medical procedures to diagnose and treat them if they continue to be persistent.
• Your chances at succeeding in rehab will be better with a balanced approach that addresses pain during therapy. Simply put, you’ll do better in therapy if it doesn’t hurt as much.  If the pain is severe, don’t wait for a pain injection.  Get it early so you can get the most out of therapy.
• Studies have shown that prolonged rehab and early surgery are equally effective in getting athletes back to their sport. Therefore, whether or not to have early surgery becomes a personal decision.  If you do have surgery, choose the least invasive but most effective option available.