Sports injuries are defined by the International Olympic Committee as “damage to the tissues of the body that occur as a result of sport or exercise.” While injuries can affect any body system, the term sports injuries usually refers to damage within the musculoskeletal system, including muscles, ligaments, tendons and bones.
For athletes and active individuals, recovering well from sports injuries is essential to restoring full function, preventing recurrence, and returning safely to pre-injury performance levels in sport.
Some sports injuries present significant barriers to returning to previous performance levels. Research has shown that following major injuries such as ACL ruptures and hip labral tears, many individuals struggle to return to their pre-injury level of sport (see here). This highlights the importance of structured and progressive rehabilitation.
Additionally, previous calf and hamstring injuries are known risk factors for reinjury. Evidence suggests that this increased risk is often due to persistent residual weakness that was never fully addressed during initial rehabilitation (see here). Physiotherapists play a crucial role in identifying these deficits and designing targeted programmes to rebuild strength and resilience.
Early injury management has evolved significantly over the last decade. While older protocols emphasised prolonged rest, research now clearly shows that optimal loading, not complete rest is crucial for tissue healing.Prolonged rest can lead to:Loss of muscle strength
Reduced tissue tolerance
Delayed healing
Increased reinjury risk
The modern recommended approach is summarised in the POLICE principle:
P – Protection
OL – Optimal Loading
I – Ice
C – Compression
E – ElevationThis updated framework promotes a more active, structured approach to tissue healing, acknowledging that early, guided movement improves tissue strength and long-term recovery outcomes (see here).
At North Shore Physiotherapy, we tailor optimal loading strategies to your individual condition, ensuring safe progression without aggravating the injury.
Soft tissues in the body vary widely in their structure, blood supply, and ability to regenerate. As a result, healing time frames are not the same across all injuries.Several factors influence healing, including:Severity of the injury (Grade I–III)
Type of tissue involved (muscle, tendon, ligament, bone)
Blood supply
Age
General health factors such as smoking and diabetes
Previous injury to the same area
Mild muscle strain: 2–4 weeks
Moderate muscle strain: 4–8 weeks
Severe muscle strain: 3–6 months
Mild ligament sprain: ~3 weeks
Moderate ligament sprain: 6–12 weeks
Severe ligament sprain: 3–6 months\Tendons: 16+ weeks Muscle tissue has a rich blood supply, enabling faster healing. In contrast, tendons and ligaments receive significantly less blood flow, which slows their repair and contributes to longer rehabilitation timelines.
Physiotherapists are trained to assess injury grades accurately and provide realistic expectations for recovery timelines. This allows better planning, more targeted treatment, and safer return-to-sport decision-making.
Effective rehabilitation is a structured, evidence-based process designed to restore:Strength
Flexibility
Joint stability
Movement control
Tissue capacity
Sport-specific skills
Confidence in the injured area
Identify underlying weaknesses or biomechanical issues
Prescribe progressive strengthening and conditioning
Provide guidance on load management
Teach strategies to reduce reinjury risk
Prepare you for safe return to sport
Use hands-on therapy where beneficial
Monitor progress and adjust your plan accordinglyGiven the strong evidence linking previous injury to reinjury risk, targeted physiotherapy is essential to restoring full tissue capacity and preventing chronic issues.
