When you hear the title “Athletic Therapist” your mind goes to the football field, the basketball court or the hockey rink. You don’t think about all the other types of ‘athletes’ out there that could benefit from AT too!
From industrial workers to senior citizens, crossing guards to playground warriors, Athletic Therapy can be a benefit to everyone that moves.
Read on to learn about the different “Athletes” that we treat every day at Guelph Performance Fitness & Therapy — you might find that you fit the bill!
1. Teacher / Educator
The physical demands on a teacher are very diverse, unpredictable, and never get a pause button. Not until the final bell rings, anyway.
Teachers can suffer from stresses on the arm and shoulder from writing on the whiteboard. Overuse injuries to the foot and knee from standing and pacing the classroom or the playground, or low back injuries from crouching next to a desk are common. And being ready for the classroom is only a part of the job! Teachers have to be ready to coach student-athletes and lead extracurricular activities too.
An Athletic Therapist can use manual techniques with teachers to relieve some of the discomfort and dysfunction caused by the day. They also help to teach strategies to help take the pain in the neck out of the classroom
2. Entrepreneurs
Here at Guelph Performance (a family-run business), we know all about the physical stresses of entrepreneurship. With a rise in the number of self-starters, the normal 9-5 lifestyle is a thing of the past.
One thing that all entrepreneurs have in common is that they often let self-care take a back burner. They don’t have time to be injured!
Athletic Therapists specialize in rapid and safe return to life. They can help an entrepreneur modify their day to minimize the impact of their injury on their work, and expedite recovery. From ergonomic adjustments to correct bracing, AT’s can help you get back to the daily hustle!
3. First Responders
Firefighters, Police officers and Paramedics are always helping others, but what about taking care of themselves? The physical demands on these professions are intense, and their bodies need to be reliable in a moment of emergency. With sudden and unexpected movements and changes from rest to running, sometimes the body needs a tune-up.
Athletic Therapists can work with these athletes to create rehab and training programs that are work specific to prepare for these quick movements or heavy lifts. You’ll be working pain-free in no time!
4. Stay-At-Home Parents
Whether you are taking care of a newborn, running after a toddler, or trying to keep up with teenagers, the SAHP is a special kind of super-athlete. Taking care of a household, running errands, cooking, cleaning. We may as well call these things cardio, weight training, and sport specific drills!
The difference is that there are no off-seasons in parenting.
We know that you need to be at your peak to keep up with your family. An Athletic Therapist can help! They work with everything from post-partum recovery to post-surgical rehabilitation to get back to caring for the people that matter most.
5. City Workers
This one is a pretty broad group — it covers everyone from a desk-warrior, to sanitation workers, to crossing guards. But they all have one thing in common: they use their bodies to get the job done!
If you’ve suffered an injury, taking time off work is often not an option (the city isn’t going to take care of itself), so working with an Athletic Therapist to get back into tip-top shape quickly is a priority!
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While different people and injuries have huge differences, the goal of Athletic Therapy stays the same. Assess fully, treat the person, not the body part, and return rapidly and safely to work and life! If you’re wondering if Athletic Therapy is for you, book a complimentary discovery appointment with one of our therapists at www.GuelphPerformance.janeapp.com
