Countdown to 2015 Pan Am Games – What’s Your Athletic Training Plan?

The countdown is on! A year from now, Toronto will play host to the 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games! Held every four years, the Pan Am games is a world-class competition featuring over 7000 athletes from across North America, South America, Latin America and the Caribbean.

With 36 different Pan Am sports, the Pam Am games offer something for everyone! From athletics events such as running, hurdles, high jump and shot put, to team sports such as baseball, basketball and volleyball, to water sports such as kayaking and canoeing – they have it all. But what about preparation – what kind of athletic training do these athletes do before this amazing event?

Firstly, what exactly is athletic training? Is it just exercises to get your body in shape? No – in fact athletic training is often confused with personal training, but there are significant differences. Athletic training encompasses everything from injury prevention to diagnosis, and then treatment and rehabilitation. No matter the sport, injury is an unfortunate reality – and so athletic training needs to be a major consideration for any serious athlete.

One of the best ways to ensure optimal performance is to get your body in peak physical condition. Starting with a physical diagnosis, a sports medicine clinic that offers athletic training services can help you better identify weaknesses that require some extra attention. Depending on your sport, your treatment will then be catered specifically to your own needs and requirements. Suggested fitness training and exercises can help you train those muscles that may be neglected, and help you direct your regular fitness regimen.

If you suffer from a sports-related injury, athletic training will then allow for treatment and rehabilitation to decrease pain, increase flexibility and movement, and prevent future injuries. This may incorporate such treatment as physiotherapy, chiropractic care, acupuncture, or massage therapy – all done by a trained practitioner experienced with sports medicine specifically.

Whether you are an athlete participating in next year’s Pan Am or Parapan Am Games, or if you are a committed athlete in one of the various sports included in the games, athletic training is a great way to ensure that you in top form at all times – and that an injury doesn’t keep you from your favourite sport.

To find out more about athletic training and how you can get your body in peak physical condition or to find out about treatment for a sports-related injury, please contact Athletic Edge Sports Medicine today by calling 416-800-0800 or visit www.aesmphysiotherapytoronto.ca.