In a sports environment, they are used to contacting a physiotherapist only when «something is already hurting.» This approach is fundamentally wrong. Injury prevention is an independent and extremely important area that allows not only to protect athletes from forced downtime, but also to unlock their potential. At the Athletes’ Health Academy, routine screenings by a rehabilitologist are part of the mandatory pre-season program.
A routine check-up is not limited to a formal check. The specialist performs a functional motion assessment, for example, an FMS (Functional Movement Screen) screening. The seven basic motor patterns reveal asymmetries, limitations, and compensations long before they turn into injury. If an athlete cannot perform a deep squat or lunge with rotation correctly, the physiotherapist sees weak links — insufficient hip joint mobility or core instability.
The second stage is instrumental diagnostics. A portable ultrasound machine allows you to evaluate the structure of tendons in places of typical overloads: Achilles, patella, rotator cuff of the shoulder. The rehabilitologist notices the initial signs of tendinopathy (thickening, heterogeneity) even before the pain appears. Doppler imaging visualizes the foci of neovascularization characteristic of chronic inflammation. Such monitoring is especially valuable for juniors during periods of rapid growth.
Biomechanical analysis on the platform and video capture completes the picture. The landing pattern, the distribution of foot pressure, and the trajectory of the knee during running are evaluated. Having discovered excessive pronation or valgus deformity of the knee, the physiotherapist not only gives corrective exercises, but also selects orthopedic insoles or recommends a change in running technique. This prevents metatarsal fatigue fractures and iliotibial tract syndrome.
Based on the collected data, a pre—rehabilitation and preventive training program is being developed. It includes strengthening stabilizer muscles, improving mobility of problem segments, and training in proper warm-up with activation of key groups. Regular short sessions in the rehabilitation room reduce the frequency of non-contact ruptures of the anterior cruciate ligament by 50-70%.
The frequency of inspections depends on the intensity of the loads. Professionals are screened once every 2-3 months, while amateurs are screened at least twice a year, before and after the start of the active season. With any change in the training regime (increase in mileage, transition to a hard surface), it is also worth paying a visit to a specialist.
The integration of prevention into the training schedule is a marker of a mature attitude to health. The cost of an hour of consultation with a physical therapist-rehabilitologist is incomparable with months of rehabilitation and loss of form. Start the season with a full diagnosis of the musculoskeletal system at the Athletes’ Health Academy and give yourself confidence in every movement.
