Plaster casts, sports strapping, injury braces and the like are all part of the reality of being a serious athlete. When you put your body under extreme stress, things can break down. And unless you are prepared to cease all strenuous physical activity until they heal again, these specialist devices are a necessity. As with most tools, they are best employed along with expert guidance, which is where your friendly local physiotherapist can help…
Plaster Casts
What’s commonly called a plaster cast doesn’t actually have to be made of plaster, and is more correctly termed an orthopedic cast. Whichever name you choose to use, though, the function of these custom-fitted medical aids remains the same: to hold broken bones safely in place so they can heal without the person in question sustaining further damage to the area, or suffering any additional pain.
At Glenhaven Physiotherapy, our physiotherapists are highly experienced when it comes to the application and removal of plaster casts in all of the areas of the body where they are used.
Sports Strapping
Sports strapping – aka sports taping – has parallels with the use of plaster casts, but applies to minor injuries which are more manageable, i.e. with which an athlete can continue training and even competing. The sports tape does two things. Firstly, it limits the movement of certain joints and/or muscles so they cannot cause the current injury to become worse. Secondly, it supports and protects the damaged area, thus allowing it to heal more quickly.
There are plenty of great sports tapes on the market. However, none of them are much use unless you understand the science behind supporting and protecting joints/muscles. This is where Glenhaven Physiotherapy comes in as our physios can show you how to correctly strap that injured ankle, knee, hamstring, shoulder, wrist or whatever body part to allow it to heal while you continue with your athletic discipline.
Injury Braces
For some injuries, rather than a full-on cast or judicious strapping, a sportsperson will need to wear a brace or splint. Once again, if you find yourself in this situation, our Glenhaven physiotherapists can explain the science behind these and outline their proper day-to-day use so that you derive maximum benefit from the injury brace.
Are You Battling Recurring Sports Injuries?
We’ve covered that topic in an extensive blog post here. If you always seem to be carrying a “niggle” or three, it’s worth having a read of the aforementioned article, then asking yourself, “Am I doing everything I could be to prevent this happening?”
Need Help with a Plaster Cast, Sports Strapping or Injury Brace?
The dedicated team at Glenhaven Physiotherapy can assist you with all of these things, just as we’ve been providing therapy to Glenhaven and surrounding Sydney suburbs since 1991. We pride ourselves on professional development and always stay up to date with the latest methods/technology. Contact us by emailing , phoning (02) 9680 4960 or using the enquiry form on this site.