Sports Physio

We have vast experience in sports injuries here at Sligo Physio Space, whether you are a weekend warrior or a professional athlete, you are in safe hands. We have extensive knowledge of biomechanics and the functional requirements for your sport or activity, which we utilise to get you back to health. With sports injuries it is important we get a detailed assessment of your injury, and use this to provide you with a detailed treatment plan using the most up to date evidence. The key to recovery and prevention of similar injuries is gaining an understanding of the cause of the problem and fixing all potential causes of the problem. Rehabilitation will focus on a speedy recovery and may involve hands on treatment to ease any stiffness and pain, facilitating improved movement by reducing strain on overloaded structures. For a full sporting recovery exercise is essential and we will focus on flexibility, control and strength.

Common Sporting Groups we have worked with:

  • Gaelic football
  • Hurling
  • Rugby
  • Soccer
  • Surfers
  • Australian rules football
  • Tennis
  • Runners
  • Triathletes
  • Swimmers
  • Weightlifting
  • Gymnastics
  • Dance and Performance
  • Hockey
  • Netball
  • Cricket

Spinal Physio

The spine, where would we be without it? It provides us with a solid base from which to function. It is divided into the cervical spine (neck), thoracic spine (midback) and lumbar spine (lower back). It is also the most likely culprit that will cause you pain and discomfort and seeking physiotherapy. Each region is susceptible to injury, and most of us will be affected with some form of neck and back pain in our lives. The good news is that as physiotherapists we are extremely experienced in treating your neck and back pain and it usually responds to the correct advice and treatment pretty quickly. However, if your problem is more chronic (long-lasting), you may need some extra sessions to learn how to manage the condition more effectively, but you shouldn’t worry as we are extremely experienced in helping you on the road to recovery from pain.

Common Spinal Conditions we treat:

  • Facet joint sprain
  • Disc irritations
  • Sciatica
  • Spondylolysis
  • Spondylolisthesis
  • Chronic lower back pain
  • Scoliosis
  • Wry neck
  • Headache
  • Migraine

Hip, Knee and Ankle Physiotherapy

We love treating your lower limb injuries, and having worked in physiotherapy in the hospital and sports settings we have seen a lot of lower limb complaints. The lower limb includes hip and groin problems, knee problems, and foot and ankle problems.

We have experience in sports, surgical, traumatic and chronic complaints. The initial aim of physiotherapy treatment will be to settle your pain, then restore your movement, strength and function. Your physiotherapy treatment will involve taping or bracing, massage, dry needling, exercise management, walk/run analysis and correction. You will be advised by your physiotherapist on reloading your joint and safe return to activity.

We are also extremely experienced in post-surgical lower limb conditions and have worked with numerous surgeons in following post-op protocols to enable safe return to your daily activities or sports.

Common lower limb conditions:

Hip/groin

  • Hip OA
  • Hip labral tears
  • Adductor tendinopathy
  • Pubic symphysis dysfunction
  • Hip flexor issues
  • Quad tears
  • Hamstring tears and tendinopathies

Knee

  • Meniscal tears
  • ACL tears
  • Illiotibial band friction syndrome
  • Medial collateral ligament (mcl) sprain
  • Patellar tendon issues
  • Patello-femoral joint issues
  • Osgood Schlatters disease
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Chondromalacia patella

Foot and Ankle

  • Achilles tendon issues
  • Calf muscle tears
  • Shin splints
  • Ankle sprains
  • Stress fractures

Shoulder, Elbow and Wrist Physio

The shoulder and elbow are commonly injured areas of the body. These injuries can be the result of trauma or repeated daily use. The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the upper body and has a complex interplay of muscle and ligaments acting on it to control movement and function, therefore injuries to the shoulder require careful examination and treatment. The elbow is a hinge joint and when injured can cause serious issues with stiffness, it is often the site of overuse injuries too. The wrist is susceptible to fractures and sprains. Careful assessment and management of your upper limb injury by your physiotherapist is vital to give you a speedy recovery.

Common upper limb conditions we treat:

Shoulder

  • Rotator cuff tears/tendinopathies
  • Labral tears
  • Biceps tendinopathies
  • Shoulder bursitis
  • Dislocated shoulder
  • Shoulder OA
  • Adhesive capsulitis (Frozen shoulder)
  • AC joint injury
  • Shoulder instability
  • Rotator cuff repair
  • Thrower’s shoulder

Elbow

  • Tennis elbow
  • Golfers elbow
  • Hyperextension injuries
  • Ligament injuries
  • Fractured elbow

Wrist

  • Fractured wrist
  • Fractured scaphoid
  • Carpal tunnel
  • Wrist sprain

Corporate Physio

Sligo Physio Space specialises in Corporate physiotherapy services. Given our experience in musculoskeletal physiotherapy, yoga and pilates we are in a prime position to help your company achieve its corporate wellness goals.

Services offered include:

  • chartered physiotherapy appointments
  • onsite massage appointments
  • onsite yoga and pilates classes
  • injury prevention screening.

Corporate physiotherapy aims to enhance your organization and culture through reduced workplace injury, increased productivity and fewer employee sick days.

Benefits of introducing this service in your workplace include:

  • Decreased absenteeism
  • Improved employee productivity
  • Improved mental health with reduced stress levels
  • Reduction in work related/overuse injuries
  • Improved physical activity levels
  • Improved postural awareness

We treat:

  • Back pain
  • Neck pain
  • Sports injuries
  • Work related injury
  • Repetitive strain injury

Adolescent Physiotherapy

Active children and adolescents are vulnerable to particular overuse injuries as their growing bodies struggle to cope with the demands of sport and exercise. At Sligo Physio Space we have extensive experience in youth sports physiotherapy and are adept at assessing adolescents and their specific injuries, we will then prescribe age-appropriate treatment and exercise to help target such injuries. Physiotherapy that focuses on stretching and strengthening are essential to allow children and athletes to continue to enjoy the benefits of sport and exercise.

Sports Massage and Physiotherapy

Do physiotherapists use Sports massage?

Yes as part of a comprehensive treatment program that includes exercise, advice and load management, your physiotherapist will also incorporate sports massage.

What is Sports massage?

Sports massage incorporates specific massage techniques to effect muscle, tendon, ligament and fascia. It is generally applied to a focal point where the athlete is complaining of pain, dysfunction or reduced performance. The main aim is to reduce pain and swelling, release muscle tension, relax the nervous system and allow post activity recovery. Massage is a great way to release tension and pain in order to help you do specific exercises that will in turn have a longer-term effect than massage. Sports massage improves circulation and lymphatic drainage which facilitates removal of waste products such as lactate or lactic acid that can build up following strenuous activity. This can help reduce pain and aid recovery time.

During sport and daily activities tension can build up in the soft tissues that are being used. Especially in muscle that is weaker, or where stress and tension is stored and especially if you have a history of injury or pain in this area. This does not mean that you have an ongoing injury and unfortunately, massage will not cure the problem. The aim of sports massage is to give temporary relief and your physiotherapist will then assess why you are building up tension in this area and give you the correct advice and exercise to manage and prevent the ongoing build up of tension

What does a sports massage do ?

Sports massage is a form of manual therapy, a targeted and systematic approach to muscle recovery and pain relief. It is designed to improve overall range of motion and muscle extensibility, as well as support safe and effective movement. Sports massage can help reduce muscle pain and tension, decrease neurological excitability, and increase joint range of motion and flexibility

What is the difference between a massage and a sports massage ?

A sports massage is a more targeted massage to areas of pain or tension, it focuses on alleviating this tension to allow recovery from sports.

Is it good to have a sports massage?

A sports massage is good for reducing tension and allowing you to recover for your next activity

How often should I get a sports massage ?

It is a personal preference, if you are training more and don’t have time for recovery, more often, if you have pain it can be helpful, it is very variable but your therapist will give you guidelines.

Does sports massage reduce pain?

Yes massage is effective for pain management, it creates neuromodulation which means when we get a massage it sends information to the brain to tell the muscles to relax, thereby reducing muscle tension and pain

Will a sports massage help with tight muscles ?

Yes the same way it helps with pain – by reducing excitability and tension in the muscles

Is sports massage the same as physio ?

No Sports massage does not involve an assessment of an injured area, it is a generalised approach, and not targeted to injured tissue only. Sports Physio is a healthcare profession, that assesses the person, their injury and provides evidence based treatments that may involve sports massage.

Sports massage

Why choose Sports massage with Sligo Physio Space?

When it comes to hand on skills, chartered physiotherapists are experts and sports massage is one of these skills that can be used to help you with recovery.

Your massage therapy will be carried out in a professional, safe & clean environment.

All physiotherapists at Sligo Physio Space are chartered physiotherapists and are fully insured and regulated by the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists, giving you peace of mind that you are in the safest of hands.

You can claim back a portion of your treatment if your insurance company covers physiotherapy.

Your session will include the most up to date advice & exercise prescription to help you relieve your own pain and prevent further episodes and improve sporting performance.

So book online now for a detailed assessment and sports massage.

Back pain is multifactorial, causes are inactivity, poor sleep, poor immune function, high stress levels, lack of strength. It is less likely related to your posture or your core strength.

Back pain is super common and rarely serious. If it is accompanying other symptoms like unexplained weight loss, changes to bladder or bowel control then it may be serious.

Your back pain will typically ease off with movement, walking is one of the best things you can do for your pain. Being fearful of moving is something that makes the pain worse, so try gentle movement, relaxed breathing and if it is not changing book in with a physiotherapist.

The best exercise for lower back pain is relaxed tummy breathing. When we hurt ourselves our nervous system goes into fight or flight and tells us to hold our breathe and tense up, breathing relaxes our nervous system and muscles. Walking and gentle stretching are also great exercises for lower back pain in the early stages.

The fastest way to relieve back pain at home is to keep active, relaxed breathing, gentle exercises and use heat/cold if it helps and take painkillers if they help also.

Yes neck pain responds really quickly to physiotherapy, with some manual therapy, advice and exercises you can be painfree in no time.

Tennis elbow is a problem with the tendons of your forearm – at the attachment at the elbow. It responds really well to physiotherapy exercises. Knowing the right exercises and how much to do is important. Tennis elbow treatment is not quick but if done correctly, works a treat.

Physio is good for osteoarthritis, helping reduce symptoms and preventing reoccurrences. We will all get osteoarthritis, but pain doesn’t always have to be a problem. With the right exercise and knowledge you can manage your osteoarthritis and your physio will help you with the best exercises for your osteoarthritis.

Physio can help reduce nerve pain by providing you with advice on the best physio exercises for nerve pain, by using hands-on spinal mobilisations, stretching, soft-tissue massage, dry-needling and most of all by getting you moving ASAP.

Yes Physios can refer for MRI, only a few companies in Ireland allow you to claim on your health insurance if a physio refers you, these are Irish Life Health in partnership with Alliance medical and Laya Healthcare.

Yes Physiotherapy can help with plantar fasciitis or plantar heel pain. After a thorough physio assessment you will be prescribed specific exercises to stretch and strength the lower leg, and may also include soft tissue work, taping and modification of current activities.

Yes physiotherapy helps with shin splints, treatment will involve an assessment of your training load, exercises to strengthen and stretch the lower leg muscles and possibly manual therapy and taping.

Physiotherapy is very helpful for vertigo, it can diagnose what is causing your vertigo and then prescribe the appropriate treatment. Treatment includes exercises, balance training, stress reduction, habituation retraining.

Yes physio can help with bursitis, as a physio colleague told me there are no bursae without overlying tendons. So physio can diagnose if your bursae is involved, and what structures are aggravating your bursae and what exercises are needed to reduce the pain and swelling.

Mostly yes, physio is beneficial for ankle sprains. Physios can assess how bad your ankle sprain is and prescribe treatment accordingly. Physio will work with you to regain full movement and strength in your ankle and have you back to your sport as soon as possible.

Physio can help with carpal tunnel, it is a non-invasive and cost effective approach to managing carpal tunnel syndrome. Physio can provide education, exercises and hands on care to reduce your symptoms and improve your quality of life.