Sports Injuries

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DeMaio Chiropractic Services

Sports Injuries

Whether you are a professional athlete or weekend

warrior we know how important it is for you to feel

your best in order to perform your best. Chiropractic

can give your athletic endeavors an edge. Even when

medical procedures may be necessary a chiropractic

checkup should still be done. If an injury is serious

enough to need medical care, the spine is almost always

damaged to a greater or lesser degree. Maximize your

performance by coming in for regular spinal check-ups.

 

Did you know? Repetitive motion injuries are among the most common injuries in the United States and make up over 50% of all athletic-related injuries seen by doctors.

"Sports injuries" are injuries that happen when playing sports or exercising. Some are from accidents. Others can result from poor training practices or improper gear. Some people get injured when they are not in proper condition. Not warming up or stretching enough before you play or exercise can also lead to injuries. Never try to "work through" the pain of a sports injury. Once should stop playing or exercising when they start to feel pain, as playing or exercising more may cause more harm. Some injuries should be seen by a doctor right away.

Heel Spurs and Plantar Fasciitis

The most common heel problems are caused by strain of the plantar fascia, which extends from the heel to the toes. The wrong shoe for a foot type can worsen biomechanical flaws and cause plantar fasciitis.

This condition occurs when the long fibrous plantar fascia ligament along the bottom of the foot develops tears in the tissue resulting in pain and inflammation. The pain of plantar fasciitis is usually located close to where the fascia attaches to the calcaneous, also known as the heel bone.

The most common complaint from plantar fasciitis is a burning, stabbing, or aching pain in the heel of the foot. Most sufferers will be able to feel it in the morning because the fascia ligament tightens up during the night while we sleep, causing pain to diminish. However, when we climb out of bed and place pressure on the ligament, it becomes taut and pain is particularly acute. Pain usually decreases as the tissue warms up, but may easily return again after long periods of standing or weight bearing, physical activity, or after getting up after long periods of lethargy or sitting down.

In most cases, plantar fasciitis does not require surgery or invasive procedures to stop pain and reverse damage. Conservative treatments are usually all that is required. However, every person's body responds to plantar fasciitis treatment differently and recovery times may vary.

Causes of plantar fasciitis include:

· Among the most common is an overload of physical activity or exercise. Athletes are particularly prone to plantar fasciitis and commonly suffer from it. Excessive running, jumping, or other activities can easily place repetitive or excessive stress on the tissue and lead to tears.

· Another common cause of plantar fasciitis is arthritis. Certain types of arthritis can cause inflammation to develop in tendons, resulting in plantar fasciitis. This cause is particularly common among elderly patients.

· Diabetes is also a factor that can contribute to further heel pain and damage, particularly among the elderly.

The technical term for tennis elbow is lateral epicondylitis.  It is an inflammation of the muscles that lift the wrist and hand. Tendon fibers that attach the wrist extensor muscles  to the outside of the elbow become irritated and painful. Pain is usually more noticeable during or after strenuous activity. If tennis elbow becomes severe, pain may be felt  even when lifting or grasping lightweight items.

Repetitive use of the arm or an injury may cause stress or  damage to the muscle attachment, resulting in the s ymptoms of lateral epicondylitis. Many people who  perform repetitive activities that use the palm in a  downward position to lift may ultimately develop tennis  elbow.

Rotator Cuff Tendinitis

Rotator cuff tendinitis is an inflammation (irritation and swelling) of the tendons of the shoulder. The shoulder joint is a ball and socket type joint where the top part of the arm bone (humerus) forms a joint with the shoulder blade (scapula). The rotator cuff holds the head of the humerus into the scapula.

Inflammation of the tendons of the shoulder muscles can occur in sports requiring the arm to be moved over the head repeatedly as in tennis, baseball (particularly pitching), swimming, and lifting weights over the head. Chronic inflammation or injury can cause the tendons of the rotator cuff to tear.

The risk factors are being over age 40 and participation in sports or exercise that involves repetitive arm motion over the head (such as baseball).

Symptoms

• Pain associated with arm movement
• Pain in the shoulder at night, especially when lying on the affected shoulder
• Weakness with raising the arm above the head, or pain with overhead activities (brushing hair, reaching for objects on shelves, etc.)

Strains & Sprains

A Strain occurs when the muscle tendon unit is stretched or torn. The most common reason is the overuse and stretching of the muscle.

The damage may occur in three areas:

• The muscle itself may tear.

• The area where the muscle and tendon blend can tear.

• The tendon may tear partially or completely (rupture).

A Sprain is an injury of a ligament when stretched or torn. Joints are stabilized by thick bands of tissue called ligaments which surround them. These ligaments allow the joint to move only in specific directions.

Some joints move in multiple planes; therefore, they need more than one group of ligaments to hold the joint in proper alignment. The ligaments are anchored to bone on each side of the joint. Sprains and strains occur when the body is put under stress. In these situations, muscles and joints are forced to perform movements for which they are not prepared or designed to perform. An injury can occur from a single stressful incident, or it may gradually arise after many repetitions of a motion.

Sprains and Strains Symptoms:

The first symptom of a sprain or strain injury is pain. Other symptoms, such as swelling and spasm, can take time (from minutes to hours) to develop.