First Assessment
Free
45 minutes, at home
- Full clinical examination at the patient's home
- The likely cause explained in plain language
- A realistic recovery plan and what it will cost
- No obligation to book any further sessions
Sports injuries range from a rolled ankle in a weekend match to a hamstring that goes mid-sprint or a shoulder that aches after every bowling spell. Many of the people who get them also run a shop or sit at a desk all week, which affects both how the injury happened and how quickly they can get back.
The general approach to these injuries is on our sports injury physiotherapy page. Here is how it works when treatment starts at home in Swargate.
Why start at home?
In the first days after an injury, getting to a clinic can mean hobbling to the road and sitting in traffic with a swollen ankle hanging down. Starting at home lets the swelling settle while treatment begins: protecting the injured part, keeping the rest of the body moving, and getting your walking back to normal as soon as it is safe. Once you move comfortably, much of the strengthening can still be done at home with a step, a resistance band and a wall.
What cricket, running and hill climbing tend to strain
- Cricket. Ankle sprains in the field, side strains and lower back pain in fast bowlers, sore throwing shoulders, and finger and wrist injuries from catching.
- Running on the track or the roads. Shin pain, Achilles and heel pain, and knee pain that builds when the distance goes up too quickly.
- Climbing the Parvati steps. Pain at the front of the knee and tight calves, especially after a sudden jump in the number of climbs.
- Gym and badminton. Shoulder strains, elbow pain and ankle sprains.
Runners and climbers whose main trouble is the knee will find more on knee pain physiotherapy in Swargate.
Getting back to play
Return to sport is planned in stages, not by the calendar. You should be able to walk, then jog, then change direction and hop on the injured side without pain or swelling the next day before you go back to matches. A cricketer practises the movements of their role, such as a bowling run-up, throws from the deep or quick singles, before playing a full game. Hands-on manual therapy may help with stiffness in the early stages.
Coming back too soon is the commonest reason for a second, worse injury, so the final step is about confidence as well as strength: you should trust the injured side before a match asks you to.
When to see a doctor first
If you cannot put weight on the leg, a bone looks out of shape, a knee swelled up within an hour or two of a twisting injury, or a blow to the head has left you drowsy, confused or sick, get medical assessment before any rehabilitation.
Players on Shankar Sheth Road have their own sports injury page, and our article Can I exercise every day during physiotherapy? answers a common question. When you are ready, book an assessment or see how Swargate home visits are arranged.