3 sports medicine experts share how to deal with an injury at home, plus the recovery equipment you need to do it

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• Recovering from a sports-related injury often requires a visit to a physical therapist who not only properly diagnoses the injury but can recommend treatment as well.
• But when visiting a doctor's office isn't a reliable option, there are still plenty of methods for treating the injury at home.
• We spoke to three sports medicine experts who share their recommendations and feedback on what to do when rehabbing an injury at home and the equipment you need to do it.

The stress that comes along with twisting your ankle hiking, waking up with a sore neck from sleeping poorly, or finding a knot in your back from unending Zoom meetings is natural. Unfortunately, those stresses can easily become more severe due to how hard it might be to safely visit your physical therapist to help heal your aches and pains.

But fret not, even if you're spending more time at home and lack access to your go-to PT, there's still plenty of methods for finding relief — and your doctor should still be able to help you out no matter the distance.

Amir El Shami, an Illinois physiatrist specializing in orthopedics, sports medicine, and other non-surgical medicine, says that even when you can't see your physical therapist, by combining telemedicine with knowledge of your health history, a doctor can make a good diagnosis and help you start to rehab at home.

Miles Colaprete, Doctor of Chiropractic in Shelburne, Vermont, agrees. "Most musculoskeletal conditions can be diagnosed remotely," Colaprete told Business Insider. "For doctors, 98% of getting a diagnosis right lies in listening to the client tell their story. The other 2% is asking empathetic questions after ruling out red flags. Then, we'll dive into exploring the movements or positions that cause pain, while conducting a movement screen or talking you through orthopedic tests to diagnose the problem."

For El Shami, the most frequent complaints he sees aren't traumatic injuries like stress fractures and tendon strains, but overuse which generates knee and hip pain in patients with preexisting injuries. Colaprete sees more spinal issues, ranging from tweaked necks to acute lower back pain, with shoulder injuries clocking a close second after things like internet push-up challenges circulate on social media.

If the idea of visiting a physical therapist to treat these ailments gives you pause, rest assured that both El Shami and Colaprete approve of at-home remedies designed to help. From doing something as simple as increasing your physical activity to using gear like resistance bands or foam rollers, there are plenty of PT-certified methods for treating pain without going to a doctor's office.