Remote Telehealth and Online Physical Therapy for Specialized Sports Recovery

Telehealth physical therapy - otherwise known as online physical therapy - refers to services that are provided over the internet. Remote telehealth is utilising the technology developed to provide specialised healthcare to people that may not have access to it locally. During the extended periods most of us were stuck at home during the recent COVID pandemic, healthcare providers had to come up with a way to provide healthcare to their patients without being able to see them one on one. Thus, telehealth use became much more widespread.

Why Remote Telehealth is Effective for Athletes

A big portion of effective physiotherapy management is in both setting meaningful goals and learning about more about your injury or condition and how to improve it. Even when in-person visitation may not be possible, telehealth physical therapy provides an effective way to maintain treatment so there is no lag in your time to recovery. Don’t let distance or your busy lifestyle be the reason you don’t seek a professional for your specific injury.

In the case of specialized clinics, this includes climbing injuries. If there is nobody in your local area that has an interest in climbing injuries, you may not receive a nuanced understanding of your injury and be provided with the appropriate steps it takes to get back to the crag or the gym. The major benefit of seeking out a physiotherapist with a special interest in your sport is it takes more of the guesswork out of treatment. They understand the mechanism of injury, the biomechanics of the injured tissue, and the steps it takes to get back to your sport and beyond.

The Remote Assessment and Consultation Process

In the lead up to your appointment you’ll be guided to prepare any relevant imaging or medical documentation. We hold the video conference on our system, Cliniko, in a private room where any information you share with us is confidential. A remote telehealth appointment still has the key features of a standard physiotherapy appointment: a thorough assessment, goal setting and a personalised treatment plan based on your clinical presentation.

During a remote telehealth assessment your physio will conduct a comprehensive video assessment, taking into consideration the following factors:

• The mechanism of injury and where the symptoms are;
• How symptoms are reproduced;
• Your movement patterns;
• Any medical imaging and doctors reports;
• Your current goals.

With all of this information gathered your physio can help you develop a personalised treatment plan including exercises to promote healing, any tissue offloading strategies required and ongoing monitoring recommendations.

Detailed Consultation Outcomes

The Telehealth injury consultation includes a 60 minute online physical therapy consult with a Doctor of Physical Therapy. This session is designed to help those who are currently injured and unable to compete in a sport or have a persistent injury and are uncertain of what next steps to take. The following table outlines the specific goals of the consultation:

Prevent any injury from worsening by speaking with an experienced physical therapist through online physical therapy telehealth sessions. A physiotherapist who’s field of interest is in your sport or hobby is going to be much better at appreciating the nuances of your condition and will be much better equipped to work with you on that personalised plan.