Good call: When to check in with your doctor
There are a number of sports injuries you
can treat on your own. But many require
expert care. It’s best to contact a doctor
if you:
w
Have an injury that causes a visible
deformity or severe pain, swelling or
numbness.
w
Cannot put any weight on the injury.
w
Notice the a ected joint doesn’t feel
normal or stable.
w
Have pain that interferes with sleep or
normal activity.
w
Have pain or swelling at the site of an
old injury.
w
Have back or neck pain, especially if you
also have numbness, weakness or pain
that runs down an arm or leg.
w
Start to treat an injury at home but your
pain or other symptoms don’t go away.
Sources: American Academy of Pediatrics; National Institute of Arthritis
and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
WHETHER
you’re a week-
end warrior or an up-and-coming
Olympian, you don’t want a sports
injury to keep you on the sidelines.
Here are some common injuries
every athlete should know about.
Ankle sprains
Sprains occur when your foot rolls
abnormally. is stretches ligaments—
tissues that hold bones and joints in
place—beyond their normal range,
sometimes causing them to tear.
Symptoms may include pain,
swelling, decreased range of mo-
tion and ankle instability. Treatment
typically includes RICE—rest, ice,
compression and elevation.
Ankle pain that lingers a er a
sprain can be further decreased with
physical therapy, explains Doug
Lynch, a physical therapist with
Gritman erapy Solutions. Physi-
cal therapy provides techniques and
treatments that decrease in amma-
tion and improve ankle motion and
function, such as therapeutic ultra-
sound, lymphatic drainage massage
and joint mobilization.
“Ankle sprains interfere with our
balance, something called proprio-
ception. e relay system from the
ankle joint to the brain and back to
the ankle is delayed, and we experi-
ence poorer balance. Balance training
is a key component to reduce the risk
of further sprains,” Doug says.
ACL tears
Your anterior cruciate ligament
(ACL) runs diagonally through the
middle of each knee, helping to
stabilize it. ACL tears o en occur in
intense sports, such
as football, soccer
and basketball.
Symptoms may
include a popping
sound and a feeling
that your knee has
given out, tender-
ness, discomfort
while walking, loss of range of
motion, and pain with swelling.
Doug says quick screenings from
a physical therapist can identify pos-
sible risk factors that cause ACL tears
before they happen. By assessing
the control of the quadriceps (thigh
muscle), which is essential to jump-
ing and quick movements, individu-
als can be given training exercises to
minimize the possible risk of a tear.
Treatment for a torn ACL usually
Game
changers
includes surgery. Bracing the knee
and physical therapy are o en in-
volved, as well.
Rotator cu tears
Your rotator cu is made up of
four muscles. It keeps your arm in
your shoulder socket and makes li -
ing and rotating the
arm possible.
Symptoms may
include sudden,
intense pain; pain at
rest or when li ing
or lowering your
arm; weakness when
li ing or rotating
your arm; and a crackling sensation
with certain arm movements.
Treatment o en involves rest,
avoiding activities that aggravate the
injury, strengthening exercises and
medication. Sometimes, surgery is
needed.
For these and any other injuries,
please contact your doctor or call
Gritman erapy Solutions at
208-883-1522
for an appointment.
Source: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
Don’t let a sports injury
keep you sidelined. Check
with Gritman Therapy
Solutions for training
exercises to minimize the
risk of injury.
SPORTS INJURIES
4
q
connections
Recovering from an injury or surgery? Gritman Therapy Solutions is here to help. Whether you enjoy hunting,
shing, gardening or other activities, our team will get you back on your feet and out doing the things you love to do.
