Prehabilitation- Injury prevention

"Prehab is not one-and-done. Your body is always going to require maintenance work to perform at a high level, so prehab should be seen as a long-term modification to your training program." - Kevin McGuinness, Physiotherapist at Washington Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine.

Prehabilitation is typically employed by Sports Physiotherapists when treating athletes. Prehabilitation is essentially a form of personalised risk assessment - looking at the areas that experience the most pressure, use and force and designing a treatment plan to strengthen those areas in order to avoid injuries and allow athletes to reach their maximum potential.

Rehabilitation addresses recovery from injuries. Whether or not the athlete makes a full recovery, they've lost time in their careers and will constantly need to evaluate the injury site to ensure there is no reinjury. Prehabilitation focusses on minimising the risk of injuries ever occurring. By proactively treating areas of the body that experience consistent force - such as the anterior cruciate ligament for runners - Juan can help you minimise the risk of getting injured, decrease your recovery time if you do become injured and ensure you get more time playing a sport you love.

Prehabilitation is extremely beneficial for professional athletes, as well as those who use sport and exercise as an entertainment or lifestyle activity. If you exercise, play sport, or even work in an active occupation, consider including prehabilitation sessions as a preparation method.

What to expect from your appointment

Prehabilitation is a data-driven process which aims to decrease your chance of injury while maximising your form and function. For this reason, it is important to be able to track and analyse your progress regularly.

Your first session will be around 60 minutes long and will include an evaluation and a discussion on your current condition - including your activities, goals, lifestyle, strength, weaknesses, balance and any previous injuries.

Your second 60 minute session will be treatment based, and Juan will take you through various training exercises, dynamic stretches and foam rolling. Your training may include exercises for balance, strength and bodyweight.

If you’re an athlete or occasional exerciser that is looking to stay in tip-top condition, contact Juan Cartens today. As a trained Contact Physiotherapist, he will evaluate your biomechanics, and look for issues or problems that make you vulnerable to injuries and suggest a programme to correct the issues.

There is no one-size-fits-all for prehab programmes- Juan makes recommendations and creates patient-specific treatment programmes suited to your individual needs and concerns.