Sports Injuries
Ankle sprains, hamstring strains, runner's knee and shoulder injuries, assessed properly and rehabilitated to the demands of your sport.
Common symptoms
- , Pain during or after training
- , Swelling following activity
- , Reduced power or speed
- , A joint that feels unstable
- , Pain that returns each time you resume training
Common causes
- , Training load increased too quickly
- , Insufficient strength for the demands of the sport
- , Previous injury not fully rehabilitated
- , Sudden change of direction or contact
- , Inadequate recovery between sessions
Return to play, not just pain-free
The most common reason athletes reinjure themselves is returning when the pain has gone but the capacity has not. Pain settles well before tissue strength recovers, and the gap between those two points is where most repeat injuries happen.
So we finish rehabilitation against measurable criteria: hop tests, side-to-side strength comparisons, and a graded return to full training that we plan with you rather than leaving to guesswork.
Load is usually the culprit
For overuse injuries (most running injuries, most tendon problems) the cause is almost always a change in load. More mileage, harder sessions, new surface, new shoes, or a block with no easy weeks. Finding what changed in the weeks before symptoms began is often the whole diagnosis.
How we treat it
- , Accurate diagnosis of the injured structure
- , Progressive loading appropriate to the tissue
- , Sport-specific strength and power work
- , Graded return-to-play programme
- , Training load planning around your race or season
Typical recovery: 2–12 weeks depending on tissue; longer for ligament surgery
See a doctor urgently if you have
- !Inability to bear weight after injury
- !Obvious deformity
- !Rapid marked swelling within an hour
- !Numbness or loss of pulse below the injury
- !A loud pop with immediate instability
These are not physiotherapy problems. Go to a doctor or hospital rather than booking with us.
Treatments that help
Common questions
How long before I can play again?
It depends on the tissue: muscle, tendon and ligament all heal on different timelines. We give you a realistic range at the first assessment rather than the number you would like to hear.
Why does the same injury keep happening?
Almost always because the first one was rehabilitated only until the pain stopped. Being pain-free at rest is a low bar; the tissue has to tolerate sprinting, cutting and landing before you are actually ready.
Should I use ice?
Ice helps with pain in the first day or two. It does not speed healing, and prolonged icing may slightly hinder it. Useful for comfort early on, not a treatment in itself.
Book a physiotherapist in Nairobi
Clinic appointments in Westlands, or a physiotherapist at your door anywhere in Nairobi. Same-week slots.