Tag Archives: Sports injuries

Common Ice Hockey Injuries

January 31, 2017 Teresa Stockton - Blog, Knee, Sports and Fitness

Ice hockey is one of the most popular sports played in North America. Physical therapy can provide specific treatment to a number of specific ice hockey injuries. Here are a few injuries that can happen during a hockey game or practice:

Common Ice Hockey Injuries

BACK INJURIES
Hockey players are at risk for low-back injuries due to the flexed (forward) posture of skating and the frequent hyperextension (backward) stress. Low-back pain and/or a pulled muscle are the most common injuries. Stretching of the hip flexors along with strengthening of the back and abdominal muscles will help avoid these injuries.

HIP INJURIES
The hip joint and groin muscle are susceptible to injury due to the mechanisms of the skating stride. Some of the most common soft tissue injuries in hockey players include a groin strain and a hip flexor strain. Off-season strengthening and dedicated stretching before and after practice are important to prevent these injuries. In addition, a direct blow to the outside of the hip can cause a hip pointer or trochanteric bursitis. Hockey pants with reinforced padding over these areas may help protect them.

KNEE INJURIES
The medial collateral ligament is the most susceptible to a sprain because of the leg position – pushing off the inside edge of the skate blade – and contact to the outside of the knee. Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) disruption and meniscus tears (torn cartilage) can also occur but are less common in hockey that in other sports such as football, soccer and basketball.

SHOULDER INJURIES
The most common shoulder injuries in hockey are a shoulder separation and a broken collarbone. These injuries occur from direct contact of the shoulder with another player, the boards or the ice. Treatment can include a sling, rest and in serious cases surgery.

ELBOW INJURIES
The point of the elbow is a frequent area of contact, which can result in the development of bursitis. Thick and scarred bursal tissue (which feels like bone chips, but isn’t) can be a source of recurrent inflammation. The best prevention method is wearing elbow pads that will fit well and have an opening for the elbow, soft padding and a plastic outer shell.

WRIST INJURIES
A fall on the outstretched arm or contact with the boards that forces the wrist up or down, may cause a fracture. Players should try bracing themselves against the boards using their forearms instead of their hands.

PT News

January 24, 2017 Teresa Stockton - Blog, PT News

This Month in PT News. Featuring articles from PTandMe partnering clinics!

1. Simple Steps to Starting a Weight-Training Program
Written by the Therapy Team at The Jackson Clinics – Middleburg, VA

One of the challenges of weight training is determining how much effort to put in for the most benefits. Read more

2. Sit Up Straight! Avoid Sitting with Bad Posture
Written by Megan Russo, PTA at The Center for Physical Rehabilitation – CPR – Grand Rapids, MI

Do you ever find yourself sitting in a slumped position while at work or driving in the car? Read more

3. Minimizing the Risk of Ski Injury
Written by the Therapy Team at The Jackson Clinics – Middleburg, VA

If winter weather has you prepared to hit the slopes, be sure to take the necessary precautions to keep yourself injury-free this season. Read more

PT & Me Clinic Stands Above the Rest

January 19, 2017 Teresa Stockton - Blog, Events

At PT & Me we love it when our partnering physical therapy clinics shine. We are so excited that we couldn’t help ourselves, we just had to highlight one of our award winning clinics!

FRISCO PHYSICAL THERAPY – Physical Therapy Clinic – Frisco, TX
Frisco Physical Therapy was voted the BEST PHYSICAL THERAPY CLINIC in Frisco, Texas by over 32,000 readers of the Frisco Enterprise Newspaper. Clinic Director Colby Pigg, MPT graduated with honors in 1999 and has more than 18 years of experience in physical therapy. Perhaps one of the reasons Frisco Physical Therapy stands out among the crowd is the variety of services it offers to its patients. In addition to general orthopedics the licensed physical therapists in Frisco offer:

• Balance and Fall Prevention Programs
• Cancer Related Fatigue Program
• TPI Certified Golf Fitness Intructor
• Primal 7 and TRX Suspension Training
• Game-Ready Vasopneumatic Cold Compression

We are super excited for Colby and the rehab team at Frisco Physical Therapy for the honor they received by their community. We are certainly looking forward to all of the great things to come. More information about Frisco PT can be found at: www.friscopt.com

PT News

October 25, 2016 Teresa Stockton - Blog, PT News

This Month in PT News. Featuring articles from PTandMe partnering clinics!

2. Coping with a Mysterious Pain Syndrome
Written by the Therapy Team at the Jackson Clinics – Middleburg, VA

As its name suggests, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a complicated and painful condition. Approximately 80,000 Americans are diagnosed with CRPS each year, usually in the arm, hand, leg or foot. Read more

3. Is Something Better than Nothing?
Written by Erin Clason at the Center for Physical Rehabilitation – Grand Rapids, MI

When it comes to strength training, the answer is a resounding “Yes!” Most of us are aware of the benefits of strength training in areas like everyday physical function, bone rebuilding, self-confidence, fat reduction, and elevated metabolism. Read more

PT News

August 23, 2016 Teresa Stockton - Blog, PT News

This Month in PT News. Featuring articles from PTandMe partnering clinics!

1. How Does an NBA Player Overcome Career Limiting Ankle Injury?
Written by Nick Mezyk, DPT, Clinic Director at ProCare Physical Therapy – Johnstown, PA

If you have played sports long enough, you have most likely experienced the following… You’re running down the field, court or track, and you go to make a quick cut. Except you end up crumbling to the ground because you rolled your ankle causing a popping sensation on the outside portion of that ankle. Read more

3. Top Equipment Free Exercises You Should Be Doing
Written by the Therapy Team at Momentum Physical Therapy – San Antonio, TX

The idea of exercising always conjures up visions of personal trainers, expensive gyms, high-end equipment, and lots of grunting, groaning, and personal torture. That’s never the case when we use the term exercise. Read more

Physical Therapist Tips on Avoiding Injury to Your Throwing Arm & What to Do in Case You Do

August 18, 2016 Teresa Stockton - Blog, Shoulder, Sports and Fitness

Throwing a baseball or softball is one of the most demanding motions on the human body in sports. For each throw, the athlete generates high levels of energy in the arm and body to accelerate the baseball and softball to a high velocity. Just as it is important to understand proper biomechanics to improve performance, it is important to understand the stresses placed on the throwing shoulder and elbow by the throwing process.

Physical Therapist Tips on how to avoid pitching injuries

• Teach young athletes to be mindful of how their bodies feel. Pain is the first sign of a problem, and athletes of all ages need to pay close attention to any type of muscle twinge, tightening, or burning sensation.

• Coaches should carefully observe their pitchers’ techniques. Success on the field may be fleeting if the pitches ultimately are damaging a young player’s shoulder.

• Conditioning and strengthening exercises are most effective after mechanics are learned and put into action. If possible, begin a conditioning program at least a month before the season begins. A basic stretching regimen should be used before a player ever picks up a baseball.

• Players should start with short tosses and gradually work up to throwing the ball a greater distance. Increasing the velocity should be the final step.

• If the arm region is sore or tight, apply ice to the area for 10-15 minutes to help diminish the amount of blood that might otherwise leak into the muscle. When there is microscopic tearing of the muscle tissue, blood is leaking into the surrounding muscular tissue, causing pain and muscle spasms. Using ice will help reduce the pain, spasms, and inflammation associated with this condition.

• Before age 10, only fast ball and change-up should be permitted.

This information about how to avoid pitching injuries was written by University Physical Therapy, an outpatient physical therapy group with eight locations in New River Valley, Virginia. University PT is THE choice for outstanding sports rehabilitation, physical therapy and occupational therapy services. For more information click here.

True or False: A Person With a Serious Head Injury or Concussion Should Be Kept Awake

August 16, 2016 Teresa Stockton - Blog, Head, Industrial Rehab, Sports and Fitness

All head injuries should be treated seriously. While most won’t cause lasting effects, if improperly treated, they can lead to long-term disabilities or even death.

The most common type of head injury is a concussion. It is a jarring trauma to the brain that can cause a person to lose consciousness or have amnesia.

What do you do if you are around someone who experiences a serious head injury or concussion? You may have heard that you should not let the person go to sleep, but is this true? Most health professionals don’t think so. It is generally considered safe for people with head injuries or concussions to go to sleep. In some cases, a doctor may recommend waking the person regularly to make sure his or her condition has not worsened.

Evidence for the Health Claim
Many people will go to great lengths to keep a person who has had a head injury from falling asleep. They argue that keeping the person awake will decrease the risk that he or she slips into a coma.

This misunderstanding probably stems from hearing about a rare occurrence known as a lucid interval that has been associated with certain types of severe head injuries. A lucid interval occurs when the initial bleeding in the brain does not cause loss of consciousness. The bleeding eventually worsens and brain structures become compressed. The person’s condition can rapidly deteriorate, requiring emergency brain surgery.

Evidence Against the Health Claim
Most medical professionals say it is fine—sometimes even advised—to let people sleep after incurring a head injury.

The American Academy of Family Physicians states it is not necessary to keep a person awake after a head injury. If a person needs to be watched that closely, a doctor will most likely admit him or her to the hospital. The Dartmouth College of Sports Medicine advises that it is fine to go to sleep after a concussion so long as someone wakes you up every two hours. They are to check to make sure you can be easily awakened and aren’t displaying symptoms of a worsening condition.

In a study in the September-October 2005 issue of the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, researchers reported greater levels of fatigue in people who have had head injuries, compared with those who have not. The researchers concluded that regular rest breaks and increasing intervals of restful sleep should be a part of the rehabilitation from head injury.

Conclusion
If you are around someone who has a head injury or possible concussion, monitor the symptoms closely. It is important to call a doctor or go to a hospital immediately if the person has worrisome symptoms such as:
• Open wound in the scalp or misshapen deformity of the skull
• Severe or progressive worsening headache
• Changes in behavior (eg, confusion, restlessness, irritability, lethargy)
• Dilated pupils or pupils of different sizes
• Convulsions or seizures
• Difficulty waking from sleep
• Trouble walking or speaking
• Bleeding or drainage of fluids from nose or ears
• Unusual sleepiness or decreasing alertness
• Severe or persistent nausea, or vomiting more than twice
• Weakness or numbness in the arms or legs

When a head injury is serious enough to require medical care, a doctor will give you instructions on how to monitor and treat the injury once the person is released from the hospital or clinic. These instructions will generally not include keeping the person awake and alert.

by Krisha McCoy, MS

More PTandMe articles about concussions can be found here:

REFERENCES:
Head injuries. KidsHealth.org website. Available at: http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/firstaid_safe/emergencies/head_injury.html. Accessed November 5, 2008.

Head injuries: what to watch for afterward. Familydoctor.org website. Available at: http://familydoctor.org/084.xml. November 5, 2008.

Head injury: concussion. Dartmouth College of Sports Medicine website. Available at: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~sportmed/concussion.html. November 5, 2008.

Radiology for traumatic brain injury. Trauma.org website. Available at:http://www.trauma.org/neuro/neuroradiology.html. Accessed July 23, 2006.

Subjective reports of fatigue during early recovery from traumatic brain injury. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation. 2005;20:416-425.

EBSCO Information Services is fully accredited by URAC. URAC is an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation.

Common Football Injuries

August 9, 2016 Teresa Stockton - Blog, Sports and Fitness

Football is one of the most popular sports played by young athletes, and it leads all other sports in the number of injuries sustained. In 2007, more than 920,000 athletes under the age of 18 were treated in emergency rooms, doctors’ offices, and clinics for football-related injuries, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Physical therapy can provide specific treatment to a number of specific football injuries. Here are a few injuries that can happen during a football game or practice:

KNEE INJURIES
Knee injuries in football are the most common, especially those to the anterior or posterior cruciate ligament (ACL/PCL) and to the menisci (cartilage of the knee). These knee injuries can adversely affect a player’s long-term involvement in the sport. Football players also have a higher chance of ankle sprains due to the surfaces played on and cutting motions.

Physical therapy treatment for knee injuries may include:
• Exercises to help promote recovery. Specifically, therapists will design a program to strengthen the whole leg as well improve its range of motion.
• Balance exercises to allow the return to daily activities (including work and sports) while decreasing the risk of falls and reinjury
• Hands-on treatment to keep the knee joint from becoming stiff
• Ice and vasopneumatic pressure to reduce swelling and pain

SHOULDER INJURIES
Shoulder injuries are also common. The labrum (cartilage bumper surrounding the socket part of the shoulder) is particularly susceptible to injury, especially in offensive and defensive linemen. In addition, injuries to the acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) or shoulder are commonly seen in football players.

Physical therapy treatment for shoulder injuries may include:
NON-SURGICAL
Most labral tears will respond well to non-surgical treatment and may be just one component of a multi-factored pathology of the aging shoulder. Physical therapy will typically address a labral tear from the biomechanical approach of improving the motion and reducing the repetitive injury. If the inflammation and mechanical stress on the structures can be reduced then the tissue has a chance to heal.
SURGICAL
If the athlete has had surgery to the shoulder, the therapist will follow a specific protocol to apply just the right amount of strain on the shoulder to keep it safe after surgery. A sling may be recommended in the early stages but the therapist will get the arm moving with assistance within a relatively short period of time. Physical therapists will give instructions on how to provide varying levels of assistance to the arm for motion in safe planes in front of the body, and eventually throughout the entire range of motion. Once the tissues are healed, the therapist will begin to put resistance on the support structures in order to improve the mechanics of motion and reduce the risk of another injury.

CONCUSSIONS
Football players are very susceptible to concussions. A concussion is a change in mental state due to a traumatic impact. Not all those who suffer a concussion will lose consciousness. Some signs that a concussion has been sustained are headache, dizziness, nausea, loss of balance, drowsiness, numbness/tingling, difficulty concentrating, and blurry vision. The athlete should return to play only when clearance is granted by a health care professional. It is recommended that players go though a concussion baseline test before the start of the season. Results from baseline tests (or pre-injury tests) can be used and compared to a similar exam conducted by a healthcare professional during the season if an athlete has a suspected concussion. More information here.

Physical therapy treatment for concussions may include:
EVALUATION: The physical therapist will take time to talk with you and perform a thorough examination of your condition.
THERAPY: The physical therapist will plan a treatment program suited to your individual condition, which will involve exercises for your balance, vision, inner ear and more in order to restore brain function.
TEACHING: Physical therapists will spend time reviewing information with you regarding your diagnosis and progress as well as answering your questions. This empowers the patient to make a lifelong impact on their health.
RETURN TO SPORT: Physical therapists are uniquely qualified to guide you towards a safe return to sport. A therapist can guide recovering athletes through a stepwise protocol to keep patients symptom free, and to prevent serious, life-threatening conditions associated with a second head injury due to early return to football.

OVERUSE INJURIES
Low-back pain, or back pain in general, is a fairly common complaint in football players due to overuse. Overuse can also lead to overtraining syndrome, when a player trains beyond the ability for the body to recover.

Physical therapy treatment for overuse injuries may include:
Pain-relieving techniques (such as ice) and decreasing or modifying painful activities. This diagnosis often occurs from muscular tightness or weakness which causes posture to get out of alignment. A physical therapist will educate and assist in proper stretching and strengthening exercises for the back. They may perform hands on, manual therapy techniques to further increase joint flexibility. The final phase of rehab will involve strengthening during functional activities and education to prevent the injury from recurring.

RESOURCES:
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
www.cpsc.gov

Stop Sports Injuries
www.stopsportsinjuries.org

REFERENCES:
Preventing Football Injuries. http://www.stopsportsinjuries.org/STOP/Prevent_Injuries/Football_Skating_Injury_Prevention.aspx

PT News

July 26, 2016 Teresa Stockton - Blog, PT News

This Month in PT News. Featuring articles from PTandMe partnering clinics!

1. Tennis and Golf: Keep Swinging as You Age
Written by the Therapy Team at the Jackson Clinics Physical Therapy – Middleburg, VA

It’s a hard fact to swallow: Age eventually catches up with all of us, no matter how active we may be. Unless we work to maintain strength and flexibility, we slowly lose both as we age. Read more

2. Bridging the Gap
Written by Jess VandenBerg MS, AT, ATC, CSCS at the Center for Physical Rehabilitation – Grand Rapids, MI

If you have ever rehabilitated an athletic injury, you know there is a big difference between completing your rehab, and returning to competition. You are pain free, have full range of motion, and are completely functional, but are you prepared for the true demands of your sport, both mentally and physically? Read more

3. Is There an Association Between Radiological Severity of Lumbar Spinal Stenosis and Disability, Pain, or Surgical Outcome?
Written by the Therapy Team at Oregon Spine and Physical Therapy – Eugene, OR

Last week I wrote a blog about a new research article about the shoulder and MRI. It helps us better understand the role of an MRI when trying to figure out the best plan to deal with a painful or injured body part. The old belief that an MRI is the “gold standard” is rapidly dying when it comes to understanding what to do with muscle and joint pain. Read more

Is Aquatic Therapy For You?

July 14, 2016 Teresa Stockton - Aging, Back, Blog, General Information, Sports and Fitness, Women's Health

Aquatic therapy offers an alternative environment for therapeutic exercise. If you have tried traditional physical therapy, or have restrictions on your physical therapy program, aquatic Therapy may be the perfect solution for your physical therapy needs.

Why Aquatic Therapy is Beneficial

Less pressure: The buoyancy of the water decreases the amount of pressure, or compressive forces, on your joints and spine. When you’re immersed in water up to your neck, the weight pressing down on your body is reduced by 90%. When the water is up to your waist, the pressure is reduced by 50%.

Reduced swelling: The pressure of the water helps to move fluid from the injured area back into the body. Decreased swelling is essential for regaining the strength and motion needed for recovery.

Ease of movement: Water is an element that supports and assists movement. It offers a safe setting for regaining strength and joint range of motion.

Faster progress: Aerobic conditioning can often be performed in the water, even when it may be too soon or too difficult to do in the clinic. Staying stable in the water, challenges your core and balance. Plus, sports specific activity can begin earlier than on land.

Who Can Benefit From Aquatic Therapy

• Chronic pain patients requiring a more gentle form of therapy
• Patients at risk of falls due to balance and gait disorders
• Patients with severe arthritis or other weight-bearing restrictions
• Prenatal and postnatal patients
• Patients with general deconditioning
• Sports medicine and orthopedic patients requiring an accelerated component to their rehab protocol

This information was written by Life Fitness Physical Therapy, a privately-owned, outpatient physical therapy practice operating 14 clinics in the metro and surrounding Baltimore, Maryland area. Life Fitness Physical Therapy was founded in 2000 based on the core values of providing the highest level of customer service and clinical excellence in outpatient physical therapy. For more information click here.