Sports Injuries

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DeMaio Chiropractic Services

Sports Injuries

Every active individual knows that regular physical activity--especially in competitive sports--places great demands on the body. From professional athletes to fitness junkies, performance is key in competition. But what is the key to optimal performance? A healthy, injury-free body! Not only is it important for your body to feel its best in order to attain peak performance, but it is also vital for your body to be at its best.

Chiropractic services can give you the confidence and total wellness you need to thrive in all of your athletic endeavors. The spine is essential to all movement and activity; therefore, whenever any injury occurs, the spine may be affected to some degree. Like all medical issues, prevention and early detection is key. Ensure longevity by scheduling routine 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

Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain. Like most heel problems, it is caused by strain of the plantar fascia, a ligament that extends from the heel to the toes supporting the arch of the foot. According to WebMd, wearing ill-fitting shoes for your foot type (high arches or flat feet); standing on your feet for long periods of time; and a tight Achilles tendon are just some of the causes of plantar fasciitis.

Physiologically speaking, the long, fibrous, plantar fascia ligament develops tears in the tissue from excess tension resulting in pain and inflammation. This pain is usually located close to where the fascia attaches to the calcaneus (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.

Luckily, most individuals suffering from plantar fasciitis do not need to undergo surgery or invasive procedures to stop pain and reverse damage. While it is important to remember that every person's body is unique, typically conservative treatments are sufficient. Still, recovery times may vary.

Additional causes of plantar fasciitis include:

· Overload of physical activity or exercise. Athletes--and other high-activity persons--are particularly prone to plantar fasciitis. Excessive standing, running, jumping, or other activities can easily place repetitive or excessive stress on the tissue and lead to tears.

· 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. This can contribute to further heel pain and damage, particularly among the elderly.

Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) is an inflammation of the muscles that lift the wrist and hand. This condition results in extreme pain, especially during or after strenuous activity; however, when there is a severe case, even lifting or grasping lightweight items can be painful. The tendon fibers that attach the wrist extensor muscles to the outside of the elbow have become irritated, thereby causing pain.

Repetitive use of the arm or an injury may cause stress or  damage to the muscle attachment, resulting in the symptoms 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

The rotator cuff is a tendon that connects the upper arm bone (humerus) to the shoulder blade (scapula), where the two bones from the ball-and-joint socket of the shoulder. When this tendon becomes inflamed, causing a great deal of pain, it is called rotator cuff tendinitis (the suffix -itis indicates inflammation in any condition).

This condition usually occurs 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 or repeated 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

Medicinenet.com defines 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).

Medicinenet.com defines a sprain as 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.