I am fortunate to be
part of the OLYMPIAZENTRUM Campus Sport - Tirol – Innsbruck. We have a working
relationship with Sporttherapie Huber. Philipp Gebhart, a great physiotherapist
from Huber, looks after the day-to-day things in house, and we can send
athletes to the clinic if necessary. We also have group sessions with our
coaches and the physios so we understand how we all work, and how we can serve
our athletes better.
An athlete I just
started working with has a chronic problem that we hope to resolve soon. This
athlete went to Philipp last week and I sat in on the session. I tried to learn
as much as possible: what is the problem, how he assessed the problem and how
he treated the problem.
We discussed how WE
will deal with this. The athlete, the physio and the coach were all together in
one room, discussing and working on the same problem.
He did some soft
tissue work, and also manipulated joints. I asked him what I could do with the
athlete, what I couldn’t do. I respected his competence and tried to learn. He
respects me and talks to me about my athletes.
We have a
relationship. We don’t see each other enough; he has 12 sessions per week at
our center. I make a point of visiting him in his office (in our center) just to
check in. He drops in on me. We train together once a week so that gives us
some time as well. Neither of us wants to talk shop when we are trying to get a
little training in for ourselves, but if it is necessary we can do it.
Too often coaches,
doctors and physiotherapists (and other health professionals) work in
isolation.
I wish I had a dollar
for every time a doctor told me to stop training for 2 weeks during my athletic
career, or heard this from another athlete. Sometimes rest is the answer, but
often it isn’t. But some doctors are only looking at the symptoms, not the
cause and definitely not how to get the athlete back competing in a healthy
body as soon as possible.
If you want to create
an ideal situation for your athlete(s), you need to have a great support team.
And unfortunately injuries occur more often than we would like, so you need
great medical and physio support.
Find a physiotherapist
or physiotherapy group who understands high performance sport, and is willing
to take time and TALK to you about the athletes you work with. They are out
there.
The athlete should not
have to continually be a go-between with physio and the coach. Too often
coaches bad mouth physios, and vice versa. This helps no one, and often
confuses the athlete. Who should they confide in? An athlete should be able
trust his or her coach, and the other people working with or on him or her.
Athletes are reassured and confident when they see that the people they work
with communicate and are pulling in the same direction.
Not all physios
understand sport. But there are good ones out there who do. Philipp is not the
only good one I work with, or have worked with.
Find good people and
develop a relationship with them. This takes time. Time you think you don’t
have. But believe me, when you need a great physio, and don’t have one, you
will have to invest time to find one.
And heaven help you in your search if you
need to get an athlete back in action as soon as possible - because this may be
a long process.
Good post Carson and raises the point of overall planning that often falls to a lesser priority once the athlete has been engaged in a program for a period of time. When the athlete is mature they can "direct" their program with more authority but when they are younger this authority learning is part of education of being an athlete. In my previous experience this process sometimes caused the injury to begin with.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy your posts, keep them coming.
I like your comment Marty, thanks. Agree with you about the athlete directing their program. We need to make time to educate the athlete so that they become more responsible, and are empowered.Not quite sure what you mean with your final statement. Do you mean that that athlete had too little awareness of potential problems?
ReplyDeleteThis is really a very vital post. I want to give thanks to Carson for this great job. I am highly agree with every points with Carson about physiotherapists and sports particularly Athletes. I am fully agree with Carson that when we need a great physio, and don’t have one, we will have to invest time to find one and its really very essential for us. Thanks
ReplyDeleteYou have provided the experience of both the good and the bad because this also happens in our daily routine life as sometimes a thing is good for us at one point and in the very second moment, that thing is the most annoying one for us. the same is the case here and you are very lucky that you have the best osteopath in your squad who understand the game well.
ReplyDelete