Preventing and Treating Sports Injuries

Physical therapy excels in both treating and preventing sports injuries. While we might more commonly think about injury prevention in relation to elite athletes it is equally important for recreational athletes and even those who work out weekly. Our bodies are interconnected, this means that weakness or dysfunction in one region can create problems in another region or area of the body. The range of motion, weakness, muscle imbalance, movement patterns, and technique can all influence distant regions.

Exercise is an important part of life in order to become or stay healthy. For many people, sports are a fun way of burning extra calories, socializing and getting/staying fit. Unfortunately, this also means the occasional sports injury or a flare-up of an old injury or condition.  Sports injuries have sidelined many athletes for games, seasons, and worse, careers.  Injuries are common while participating in organized sports, competitions, training exercises, or fitness activities.  Poor training methods, inadequate warm-up, and lack of conditioning are a few of the causes of sports injuries.  You don’t have to be a professional or even an amateur athlete to suffer a sports injury. In fact, many times those most susceptible to sports injury are people who have just started exercising or do it on a recreational level; your typical weekend warrior. Sports injuries are typically seen as injuries to the musculoskeletal system, including muscles, bones, and tissues such as ligaments, tendons and cartilage.

Coping with sports injuries often requires physical rehabilitation. Physical therapy helps people rebuild strength and movement in parts of their body after an injury. Therapy can also help someone manage pain and prevent permanent damage and recurring problems.  Physical therapists are trained to help patients recover following an injury. As part of physical therapy, they can teach exercises, stretches, and techniques using specialized equipment to address problems.

The most common sports injuries include:

• Sprains: A sprain occurs when the ligaments that join the ends of one bone with another are stretched or torn. Sprains are caused by trauma such as a fall or blow to the body that knocks a joint out of position. Ankles, knees and wrists are most vulnerable to sprains. However, back, neck and shoulder sprains are very common too.
• Strains: A strain occurs when a muscle or tendon is pulled, torn or twisted. Strains can occur from overstretching during a forceful movement whilst playing. A common example of a strain is a muscle spasm. A back or neck strain is a very common injury treated in physical therapy.
• Knee pain and injuries: According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the knee is the most commonly injured joint. Orthopedic surgeons see more than 5.5 million people annually for knee pain and injuries, which can include runner’s knee (pain or tenderness close to the knee cap at the front side of the knee), tendonitis and iliotibial band syndrome (pain on the outer side of the knee). Severe knee injuries often include bone bruises or damage to the cartilage or ligaments.
• Shin splints: Shin splints occur when there is pain along the large bone in the front of the lower leg, known as the tibia or shin bone. Shin splints most commonly occur in runners, especially those who are just starting a running program. This is usually due to poor alignment of the body, or weakness in the leg muscles. The good news is that we can treat many orthopedic and repetitive motion injuries without the need for invasive surgeries or addictive medications.
• Tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow: While tennis elbow obviously affects tennis players, it can be a problem for other athletes as well. Overuse of tendons and muscles in the forearm can cause a lot of strain on the elbow and cause pain. After a good amount of rest, a physical therapist can show you good exercises to build up strength in the area.
• Quad strains: Whether your quad strain is a result of frequent use, a muscle imbalance, or a lack of stretching, it is definitely a pain to deal with. A physical therapist can help you identify the cause and take steps to prevent future strains.
• Bursitis: Bursitis is most often caused by repetitive, minor impact on the area, or from a sudden, more serious injury. Age also plays a role. As tendons age, they are able to tolerate stress less, are less elastic, and are easier to tear.  Bursitis can occur in the elbow, shoulder, hip, knee, and Achilles tendon.  Bursitis is inflammation or irritation of the bursa. The bursa is a sac filled with lubricating fluid, located between tissues such as bone, muscle, tendons, and skin, that decreases rubbing, friction, and irritation.  Our manual therapy and tool-assisted techniques are very effective in helping with bursitis.

Sports Injury Prevention

What are some tips for preventing injuries while playing sports!

Properly warm-up

Performing a few dynamic (slow-moving) exercises such as toe touches or mini squats helps increase blood flow to muscles and helps prepare them for your specific sport/activity.

Properly cool down

Performing static (hold position) stretches post activity will help eliminate lactic acid, it improves your flexibility which will reduce the chances of injury, and it’s a good relaxation technique for the body and mind.

Train appropriately before engaging in your sport

Strength and cardio training as well as simulating the movements of your sport in a controlled environment will definitely decrease the likelihood of injury.

Encourage a variety of sports and don’t overdo it!

Playing the same sport on the same day or over a long period of time without a break will put certain muscles, joints and soft tissue at a high risk of injury due to excessive stress.

Proper Hydration

Make sure you have adequate water before, during, and after your sport/activity, especially on hot days. Also watch for any heat-related issues such as fatigue, nausea, vomiting, confusion, or fainting.

Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet

It is important to maintain a well-proportioned diet that includes fruits, vegetables, and lean protein on a regular eating schedule.

Get the proper equipment

Protective equipment like helmets, pads, and shoes to name a few are important in injury prevention.

Emphasize proper technique and guidelines.

In every sport, there is a correct way and a wrong way to do things. For example, football players should be taught the proper way to tackle an opponent to avoid a concussion, and baseball players should be taught the proper way to throw and follow the guidelines on how many throws to make in a day.

Get adequate rest

Athletes of all ages need to rest between practices, games, and events. A lack of sleep and muscle fatigue predispose an athlete to injury.

Don’t play through pain

When you feel pain stop your sport or activity! Pain is a way for your body to communicate to your brain that a specific tissue has been damaged.  If you continue there is a good chance you will do more harm.

We can help

Our licensed physical therapists can customize an exercise and sports injury prevention program that recognizes the weaknesses of your particular musculoskeletal system, allowing you to recover quickly and stay active. Even, if you have an old injury, it is important to have it evaluated by our physical therapists to prevent long-term damage such as arthritis to your joints. If you have a new or old sports injury like tendonitis, arthritis, a stress fracture, or low back pain, our therapists can design a treatment program to promote wellness and minimize the chance of re-injury. If you injure yourself, please call us to set up a Free Pain Assessment so one of our therapists can make give you a recommendation on how to proceed.  Just call (855) 477-8463 or request it online!