World Class Athletes and Pain Management:

With the 2016 Olympics wrapping up, there’s a lot that we can learn from the athletes competing to represent our country. These athletes know how to push through a tough workout, stay calm under pressure, and deal with painbetter than most. The good news is that you don’t have to be a superstar athlete to benefit from pain management techniques.

Whether you’re just getting into a new favorite sport, or you’ve been playing for years, it’s important to take care of injuries and keep your pain at bay to ensure that your body is in peak physical condition. Here are some helpful pain management techniques to help you along the way.

Physical Therapy

With exercises, heat therapy, and even electrical nerve stimulation, physical therapy can help strengthen the joint and surrounding muscles to help prevent injury and reduce pain. And, it’s not just for professional athletes. People of all ages can benefit from physical therapy, but older athletes may find significant improvements in range of motion after just a few sessions.

Stretching

Like physical therapy, stretching works to keep the muscles that surround your joints strong. Incorporating stretches into your daily workout routine can significantly help reduce pain and inflammation. A good stretching routine is important both before and after exercise. If you’re experiencing stiffness, try stretching before reaching for pain medications, such as Ibuprofen or Tylenol to see if that relieves your pain.

Topical Treatments

While they may not have the most pleasant odor, chemical compounds like Ben Gay or Icy Hot can provide great temporary pain relief for athletes. According to WebMD, capsaicin, a major ingredient in topical joint treatments, blocks the secretion of “substance P,” which emits pain signals to the body. To ease pain athletes should apply the topical treatment to the affected area for at least 20 minutes. Once done, the topical treatment can be wiped off with a wet towel.

Pain and painful conditions are inevitable. Whatever your age, it is likely something that you’ll have to deal with over the course of your athletic career. If you try these tips and decide that you need some more help managing your ailments, Summa Pain Treatment Centers is here to help by providing treatment options at locations across Arizona. To learn more about the pain treatment options available at Summa Pain Care, call (623) 776-8686 today.

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