Bouncing Back from a Sports Injury

Did you know that according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, over 2 million high school athletes suffer from sports-related injuries annually? Additionally, 3.5 million kids under the age of 14 also receive treatment for sports-related injuries annually. This doesn’t even include the number of adult athletes that get injured from a sport.

Whatever age you are, or level of physical ability you may have, physical therapy can help you in enhancing the healing process of a sports injury. With our rehabilitation programs, you will be able to get back to doing the activities you love in no time.

Why are sports injuries so common?

“Sports injury” is a term that can be used to describe any injury sustained while exercising or performing some sort of athletic activity.

There are two ways in which sports injuries can occur: suddenly, such as one football player colliding with another, or over time, through repetitive motions, such as improperly throwing a ball or running in ill-fitted shoes. Simply put, anything that results in pain while performing physical activity can be considered a sports injury.

Whether you rolled your ankle on the soccer field, swung your bat too aggressively on the baseball diamond, or strained your back while doing your favorite WOD, we can help you find relief. Your individualized treatment plan will be dependent upon the nature of your injury, your health history, and the demands of the sport you plan to return to.

The 4 most common sports injuries include:

• Shin splints: Medial tibial stress syndrome, also known as shin splints, is a pain that can be felt within the shin bones, which are located at the front of your leg. This pain occurs when excessive stress is placed on the shinbone and the connective tissues surrounding it. Shin splints often leave you feeling debilitated and limited; however, they can be avoided by wearing proper footwear, strengthening your core and leg muscles, and warming up before exercise. Most important to preventing shin splints is GRADUALLY increasing your training load to allow your muscles to adapt.
• Knee injuries: Did you know your knee is the largest joint in your body? It connects the thigh bone, shin bone, kneecap, and the fibula. While this means that it can accomplish numerous physical feats, it also means that it is one of the most commonly injured body parts. Knee injuries may include a dull aching after activity, sharp pains with movement, repetitive-use injuries that make it difficult to move your knee, or more severe injuries such as ligament tears that may require intensive rehabilitation or surgical correction.
• Sprains: Your bones are connected to one another by ligaments. Ligaments help provide stability to a joint a control excessive motion. When a ligament is stretched beyond its limits, a sprain (or a tear) can occur. Sprains are often painful and limit the ability to move and bear weight on the affected joint. Knee, ankle, and wrist sprains are most common in sports. Once the ligament is stretched, it is more likely that the affected area will be sprained again in the future. Proper rehab and care of a sprained ligament is critical in recovering the strength and stability needed to return to sports.
• Strains or pulled muscles: Tendons are what connect your muscle to the bone. When a tendon is stretched beyond its limit, a strain or “pulled muscle” can occur.  In some cases, muscle strain also occurs within the muscle fibers. Like ligaments, once the tendon is stretched, it is more likely that the affected area will be strained again in the future. The good news is that tendons have a tremendous capacity to heal with proper care and therefore reduce the risk of re-injury.

How will physical therapy help my sports injury?

Our physical therapists will create a customized treatment plan for you, based on your individual needs.

• Manual therapy: This may include massage or joint mobilizations.
• Modalities: This may include specialized treatments that your physical therapist has been certified to perform, such as cupping, dry needling, or electrical stimulation.
• Therapeutic exercises: Gradual progression of exercise is provided with sport-specific motions in preparation for return to play.

Physical therapy has been proven to be successful in treating both acute and chronic injuries, such as ligament sprains, muscle strains, plantar fasciitis, bursitis, tendinitis, and more.

Ready to return to your sport?

Physical therapy offers so much more than current symptom relief – it offers sports injury prevention and natural performance enhancement. If you are an athlete suffering from a sports-related injury, don’t waste any more time on the sidelines.

Take your recovery to the next level with our physical therapy team. Schedule your free assessment with HealthQuest today.