Sports injury is the damage or trauma caused to an individual while performing activities or intense physical movements. These injuries are more common, and athletes who play contact sports are at higher risk of developing injuries often.
Sports injury clinics offer effective physical therapy treatments to treat these damages through specifically designed exercise programs and other pain-relieving techniques. They develop a personalized treatment plan according to the severity of the injury and its symptoms in order to promote recovery and help athletes return to their sports as quickly as possible.
1) Strains
Strains in sports occur when an athlete overuses or overstretches the tendon that connects muscle to bone, leading to a tear. Strains usually happen in the hamstring muscles or the lower back.
People who play football, boxing, hockey, or wrestling are at an increased risk of suffering strains. The common symptoms of strains are pain, swelling, stiffness, muscle spasms, decreased strength, and difficulty moving the affected muscle.
Cold therapy carried out using ice packs, or cold therapy systems can help reduce pain and inflammation. Compression treatment uses elastic bandages to apply pressure to the affected area that helps repair damaged tissues and promote healing.
Massage therapy performed by applying pressure to the affected muscles increases blood flow and loosens tight muscles. Physical therapists also suggest stretches and strengthening exercises to improve flexibility, range of motion and build support to the muscles.
2) Sprains
Sprains in sports occur when an athlete overuses or overstretches the ligament that connects bones to the joint, leading to a tear. Sprains can result from falling, getting hit, or twisting. The most common sprains are ankle, knee, and wrist sprains. The most common symptoms of sprains are swelling, pain, bruising, and difficulty moving the affected joint.
Physical therapists use heat and ice therapy that help reduce swelling, pain, and inflammation. They suggest stretches and strengthening exercises to improve strength, flexibility, and mobility and restore balance. They also educate their patients on activities to reduce the possibility of future injuries.
Other treatments utilized by sports injury clinic Boardman, OH, include manual therapy in which the therapists apply hands-on pressure to reduce stiffness and restore normal motion. Ultrasound therapy uses sound waves that travel deep into the tissues and help reduce pain, swelling, and muscle spasms.
3) Knee Injuries
The knee is the largest, strongest, and one of the most complex joints in the body that is susceptible to injuries more often. These injuries are more common in high-impact sports like basketball, cycling, football, and hockey. The more common knee injuries are dislocation, bursitis, tendonitis, ligament injuries like ACL or MCL, iliotibial band syndrome, and meniscus injury.
The common symptoms of knee injuries are tenderness along the joint line, discomfort while walking, and loss of range of motion.
Physical therapists utilize pain management techniques, including ice therapy, to reduce swelling and help eliminate the need for medications. They teach specific range of motion exercises and stretches to reduce tension and restore the normal motion in the joints. Muscle strengthening exercises help stabilize the weakened muscles and treat the imbalance.
Physical therapists perform manual therapy by applying hands-on techniques to gently move the muscles and joints in order to restore and improve proper motion. They also suggest bracing to stabilize the knee during recovery. Other modalities for knee injuries may include TENS and ultrasound therapy.
4) Shin Splints
Shin splints is an injury causing pain to the shin bone due to overuse or when exposed to extra pressure. The injury is also referred to as medial tibial stress syndrome, which causes inflammation in the muscles, tendons, and bone tissue around the tibia. It is more common in runners or those who work out without warmup or cooldown stretches.
Individuals who have flat feet or high arches or those who run on uneven terrains, such as hills or hard surfaces, are at higher risk of getting shin splints. The injury causes pain in the front of the lower leg that may sometimes radiate to the foot and ankle. The symptoms are soreness, tenderness, or pain along the inner side of the shinbone and mild swelling in your lower leg.
Sports injury clinic, Boardman, OH, suggests resting the injured leg to allow healing and avoid intense activities that might slow down recovery time. Injured athletes can carry out ice treatment for 20 minutes, three to four times a day, to minimize swelling and pain. Physical therapists suggest strengthening exercises and foot muscle stretches to stabilize the weakened muscles.
The practitioners perform manual hands-on therapy to the injured muscles to promote mobility. Kinesio taping is an effective method for shin splints as it provides enough support to the injured leg and enhances stability to the muscles around the shin.
Final Thoughts
Sports injuries are more common in individuals who perform any kind of activity in a regular manner. Instead of trying medications like opioids, one can try physical therapy to recover from injuries. Physical therapists at sports injury clinic, Boardman, OH, analyze the injuries and symptoms and provide the appropriate treatment plan to promote quick recovery.
