What Is Sport Specific Training?

Our Long Island Sports Physical Therapy in Huntington is an outpatient physical therapy practice specializing in treating orthopedic and neurologic conditions across the entire lifespan. We have a 30-year history in our community helping our patients attain all of their rehabilitative and fitness goals. We provide individualized hands-on care to enhance your rehabilitation, as well as prescribe you specific exercises to improve your condition. We have a large array of exercise equipment and modalities to tailor to your specific needs. Whether you are trying to return to the playing field, get back to work, or just get through your day without pain, we can help you achieve your goal.

Island Sports Physical Therapy in Huntington has earned a great reputation with Huntington, Syosset and Plainview Hospitals, as well as our local schools including Walt Whitman High School, Huntington High School, Cold Spring Harbor High School, and St. Anthony’s High School. We strive to serve our local public service professionals including the Huntington Community First Aid Squad, Huntington Fire Department, Huntington Manor Fire Department, Centerport Fire Department, Suffolk and Nassau Police Departments, FDNY and NYPD.

While capable of treating any orthopedic or neurological condition, our Huntington Physical Therapy Office specializes in:

• Spinal Rehabilitation
• Joint replacement
• Gait analysis and correction
• Sport Specific Rehabilitation and Training
• Pediatric care
• Dizziness, balance and vestibular therapy
• Fall Prevention

If you are an athlete sport-specific training may be able to help you avoid sport-related injuries as well as enhance your performance. It can be easy to find basic workouts online but many people prefer to train areas of their body that will help them most when playing their sport. Regardless of what sport you play, sport-specific training can help you improve your skills and strengthen your body so that you can perform at your highest level. At Island Sports Physical Therapy in Huntington, we can help you achieve this through our sports-specific training program built for athletes to succeed on their respective playing field.

 

What is Sport-Specific Physical Therapy in Huntington?

Sport-specific training is simply fitness and performance training designed specifically for athletic performance enhancement. If done correctly this type of training can be very beneficial for athletes however if it is not done properly it can be very detrimental. The concept of sport-specific training has evolved over time. Currently, its main purpose is to stimulate a movement or exercise in a weight room with the intent of it transferring to the playing field, court, etc. Depending on the sport, athletes will focus on training specific muscle groups and utilizing a specific energy system in order to strengthen their body and improve the skills used in their sport.

 

Why Do People Do Sport-Specific Training?

Sport-specific training has become a big trend within the sports training world. Whether you are an adult or a child sport-specific training can be very beneficial if done correctly. This type of training is done for several different reasons including:

 

• Sport-Specific Prehab: Many athletes utilize sport-specific training as a way to prevent or lessen the risk of injury. Each sport has a potential for different injuries, for example a football player is more at risk of getting a concussion whereas a baseball player has a higher risk of a shoulder injury. The football player would perform more neck-strengthening exercises and the baseball player would perform more band workouts designed to help their body adjust to the repeated high-intensity throwing motion.
• Sport-Specific Power Training: There are three major planes of motion which include the sagittal, frontal, and transverse. It is important to know that power gained in one plane does not always mean that it will transfer to the others. Many sport-specific training programs take into account which planes of motion are used in an individual’s sport. This is done to make sure that power gained in the training transfers over to the sport efficiently when it comes time to play. All sports use multiple planes of motion so it is important to train in each of them even if you are focusing on one more than another. 

 

• Sport-Specific Conditioning: This focuses on the work to rest ratio that many athletes use. An example of this is a football play only lasting for about 15 seconds then a 30-40 second rest period. Workouts should be done with this same ratio so that the athletes body can perform properly rather than getting tired. This ratio changes drastically depending on the sport, for example a basketball game consists of four 12 minute periods. The main focus of conditioning is also different depending on the sport for example football conditioning focuses more on endurance whereas soccer conditions focuses more on aerobic capacity.

 

Training Based on Energy Systems

When a trainer or physical therapist is considering what drills and exercises to use they have to recognize which energy system to focus on for the specific athlete. There are three main energy systems: phosphagen, glycolysis (anaerobic), and oxidative (aerobic). Each of these energy systems are very different from one another:

 

• Phosphagen energy system: used in sports that require extremely quick, explosive, and maximal movements usually lasting about 10 seconds.
• Glycolysis (Anaerobic): used in sports that require high intensity bursts typically lasting for 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
• Oxidative (Aerobic): used in sports that require low-intensity work over a longer period of time (2 minutes or longer). Training this system usually consists of interval workouts.

 

Sport-Specific Exercises:

Exercises done in sport-specific training help to condition the body and mind so that they can excel through the harsh demands of their sports. These exercises duplicate the exact movements of certain actions within a sport. They also involve the same muscles contraction that is used in the sport which helps them become stronger. Additionally these exercises help athletes develop strength and flexibility in the same range as their sport. These exercises and sport-specific training in general contains many benefits including:

 

• Increased speed
• Increased agility
• Improved conditioning
• Injury prevention
• Increased acceleration and power
• Improved balance and body awareness
• Improved endurance

 

Common Sport Injuries

While sport-specific training can help lessen the chance of injury it does not make you invincible. Here are some of the most common sport injuries:

 

• Sprained ankle
• Pulled groin
• Strained hamstring
• Shin splints
• Knee injuries

Although each of these injuries have different recovery times, physical therapy can help the process.

 

Sport-Specific Physical Therapy in Huntington

Sport injuries are very common and can be caused by many different factors. Unfortunately these injuries are inevitable and occur often in athletes. Whether you are a tennis player or gymnast your injury can feel like a big setback.  Luckily sport-specific therapy can be an important part of getting you back in the game! At Island Sports Physical Therapy in Huntington we evaluate each individual so that we can better understand exactly what they need. We will then design a specific rehabilitation plan focused on you and your sport. The goal in this plan is to help retrieve mobility, relieve pain, and enable comfortable movements. An important part of this rehabilitation plan is sport-specific exercises. These exercises play an important role in strengthening the areas that were affected and regaining flexibility.

 

Island Sports Physical Therapy in Huntington 

If you are seeking sport-specific therapy there simply is no better choice than ISPT. Here at Island Sports Physical Therapy, we understand the physical demands that sports put on your body and want to make sure that you make a smooth recovery to return to play.  To schedule an appointment, contact us using this link!

DAILY STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING EXERCISES

Have you ever gotten injured so bad that you needed physical therapy? If so, then you know how much physical therapy helps you get back into shape and back on your feet. The main focus is to ease pain and help you move and function better. If you have broken a bone or torn a ligament, you would be advised to seek physical therapy treatment. Physical therapists evaluate your condition and create a treatment plan that will assist you back to health. If you require physical therapy in Huntington, ISPT can give you the treatment you are looking for!

What is Physical Therapy?

Physical therapy is care and treatment focused on easing pain and helping you function, move, and ultimately live better. Several doctors may suggest you go to physical therapy to relieve pain, recover from an injury, improve mobility and movement, restore balance, manage illnesses, or adapt to an artificial limb. Individuals of any age may need physical therapy to treat their condition. Physical therapists have licensed health professionals who have specific training in aiding the body back to health. They will evaluate your condition and create a treatment plan that will work best for you. If you are looking for physical therapy in Huntington, ISPT can give you the treatment you need!

Benefits of Physical Therapy

Physical Therapy works to help you move and feel better. It is one of the best options for long-term pain. If your doctor recommends physical therapy, you will most likely need to go to multiple visits. Some of the exercises you will perform include:

• Low-impact Aerobic Training– These workouts rev up your heart rate but won’t be too hard on your joints. Before doing strength exercises, they may have you warming up on a bike or walking on a treadmill.
• Strengthening Exercises– Physical Therapists may have you use machines in their offices, resistance bands, or your body weight.
• Pain Relief Exercises– These exercises target areas of pain, so you’re more strong and more flexible.
• Stretching– This will warm up your joints and muscles, and your therapist will make sure you don’t stretch too far.
• Heat and Ice Packs– Ice will reduce inflammation, and heat will warm up your muscles so you can move better.
• Massage– Your therapist will massage the area of your body that is in pain but will ensure it’s safe and helpful for you.
• TENS and Ultrasound– Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, or TENS, uses a device to send a small electric current to the area of the skin where you have pain. Ultrasound sends sound waves to the areas that hurt.

Where Do You Get Physical Therapy?

Physical therapists can come to your home but are mainly in:

• Hospitals 
• Outpatient Clinics
• Sports Medicine Centers
• Private Medical Offices
• Nursing Homes
• Assisted Living Homes
• Rehab Centers
• Schools or Colleges
• Offices and Worksites

Improve Performance With ISPT

At Island Sports Physical Therapy, our therapists do everything to help you reach your rehabilitation goals. We have a hands-on approach and utilize personal supervision to ensure a promising recovery. We don’t just aid you back to health, but we make sure you know your injury. Our therapists educate patients on their condition and utilize the home program development to fit every individual’s needs. Our goal is not only to help our patients recover but prevent future injuries and obtain maximum performance. If you require physical therapy in Huntington, contact ISPT today for more information about your specific sport!