Sports Injuries
According to The U.S. Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, high school athletes account for an estimated 2 million injuries, 500,000 doctor visits, and 30,000 hospitalizations annually.
Professional athletes are not the only people who sustain sports injuries. Whether you’re a recreational, high school, or collegiate athlete, or the parent of an athlete, we know how important it is to get off the disabled list and back in the game. The staff here at Medi360Clinic works with you to identify the source of your injury and develop a treatment program that helps heal your current injury and prevent future sports injuries.
Common Sports Injuries
Although every injury is unique, the following are some of the most common types of sports injuries treated at Chiropractors.
Knee Injuries
Your knee joint is made up of cartilage, bone, ligaments and fluid. These natural materials are surrounded by muscles and tendons that enable your knee to move. When any of these substances in or surrounding your knee are injured, knee problems can occur. Knee injuries can result in pain and difficulty walking.
Sprains
Sudden injuries such as twists, falls, or hits can stretch or tear ligaments and cause a sprain. Sprains can result in pain, swelling, bruising, and difficulty moving your joint.
Rotator Cuff Injuries
Your rotator cuff, located in your shoulder and made up of muscles and tendons, helps your shoulder move and maintain arm stability. Sports that involve repetitive overhead motion, such as baseball, can damage the rotator cuff. Rotator cuff injuries can result in pain and weakness in the shoulder when you lift or rotate your arm, and a limited range of motion in your arm.
Achilles Tendon Injuries
Your Achilles tendon is a long, rope-like structure that connects the back of your heel to your calf muscle. When your Achilles tendon is overworked while participating in sports that require large amounts of running or jumping, the tendon can swell, stretch or tear causing an injury. Achilles tendon injuries can result in tenderness, swelling, stiffness, and pain along the back of your foot and above your heel.
Causes of Sports Injuries
Although there is a variety of circumstances that can cause sports injuries, the following are some of the most common causes of sports injuries:
- Overuse
- Accidents
- Failing to wear proper athletic gear
- Improper training technique
- Excessive training
- Failing to warm up and stretch before exercise
Rehab For Sports Injuries In McCandless
Our medical staff and chiropractors in McCandless offer the following rehabilitative treatments:
Pain Management
Our medical staff uses pain management treatments to immediately address pain. Once your pain has subsided, we can work with you to alleviate your pain through physical rehabilitation programs. The following are some of the pain management treatments offered by Chiropractors.
Trigger Point Injections
Trigger points are tiny knots that form in a muscle when it is overworked or injured. Trigger points make contracting and relaxing the muscles difficult which can result in painful muscle spasms. Trigger point injections are used to relieve these muscle spasms. Although the injection dosage is very small, these injections can provide substantial pain reduction.
Knee Injections
Knee Injections use sodium hyaluronate to mimic the naturally occurring substances in the knee and work as shock absorbers in the knee joint. These injections enable the knee to move smoothly and decrease painful symptoms.
Rehab For Sports Injuries In McCandless
Rehabilitation programs focus on treating your injury through physical rehabilitation and other natural methods rather than drugs or surgery. Our programs include methods such as heat treatment, massage, and exercise to promote mobility, strength, endurance, flexibility, balance and range of motion. Our staff takes the time to talk with you about your symptoms and works with you to develop a treatment program to get you back in the game.
How to Prevent Sports Injuries
Although some accidents are unavoidable, there are several ways to protect your body and avoid sports injuries.
The following are a few ways to prevent sports injuries:
Warm up
Preventing injuries begins before your workout even starts. Warming up before exercising warms your muscles and prepares your body for movement. Try lightly jogging for five to 10 minutes, then stretch the muscles you will use during your exercise.
Wear the proper type of shoes
Proper fitting athletic shoes stabilize your body and absorb the shock of your movements while you work out. Wearing fitted athletic shoes will enable you to exercise comfortably while avoiding injuries.
Exercise safely
Utilizing proper technique while exercising is the most important part of exercising safely. Work with a personal trainer to learn the proper form for each exercise you want to do. Work towards your rehabilitation and fitness goals by gradually increasing the intensity of your workouts, do not do too much too soon.
Wear the required sports gear
Full sports uniform and safety gear may seem unnecessary during long practices, but this gear could be the difference between a healthy season and one spent on the bench. Wearing the assigned safety gear including helmets, goggles, and mouth guards can protect your body and help prevent injuries.
Learn about sports nutrition
Replenishing your body with nutritious foods after an energy-depleting workout provides your body with the quality fuel it needs to function. Learning what and how much to eat can help prevent sports injuries.
Take a rest day
Playing hard every day can exhaust your body. Rest days can reduce your risk of injury by allowing your muscles and tissues to recover.
Recognize the warning signs
Your body will tell you when it has had enough. If you begin to experience pain or fatigue, stop playing immediately. Forcing yourself to play past your body’s limits can cause injuries that may prevent you from playing for several months.
Our sports medicine specialists are dedicated to helping treat your sports-related injury. Medi360Clinic does not perform surgeries or offer physical evaluations for entrance into high school or college athletic programs.
if you have any questions regarding our orthopedic sports medicine that have not been addressed on this page, please fill out the form.