How Physical Therapy Can Treat Your Sports Injuries

Sports Injury Got You Down? Physical Therapy Can Help

Have you recently received a sports injury and are now struggling not only to continue playing the game, but to do everyday tasks? Dealing with an acute or chronic injury from sports can be exhausting and extremely debilitating in many cases. No matter what kind of injury you’ve sustained, our Lexington, KY physical therapy practice can help you make a full recovery. Contact our office today to learn more and schedule a consultation with one of our specialized physical therapists.

What causes a sports injury?

The term “sports injury” includes any kind of injury that happens during an athletic activity. Here are some common causes for sports injuries:

1. Swinging a bat too aggressively during baseball or other sports requiring repetitive motion with a bat

2. Rolling your ankle while running or playing soccer

3. Lifting heavy weights or objects at the gym

It is important to treat a sports injury as soon as possible. Don’t put it off until the last minute and don’t expect it to heal by itself without the help of a care professional! Your physical therapy treatment plan at Advantage Orthopedic PT and the timeline of recovery will differ depending on how bad the injury is, your medical history, and whether or not the injury requires surgery.

Symptoms of sports injuries

According to the National Institute of Health, the following bullet points are common symptoms experienced from acute and chronic sports injuries.

Symptoms of an acute injury include:

• Sudden, severe pain

• Swelling

• Not being able to place weight on a leg, knee, ankle, or foot

• An arm, elbow, wrist, hand, or finger that is very tender

• Not being able to move a joint as normal

• Extreme leg or arm weakness

• A bone or joint that is visibly out of place

Symptoms of a chronic injury include:

• Pain when you play

• Pain when you exercise

• A dull ache when you rest

• Swelling

Different kinds of sports injuries

The following list shows the most common forms of sports injuries received by athletes:

Knee injuries

Your knee is the most complex joint in your body, so it is no surprise that it’s also the most commonly injured body part!. Knee injuries may include dull aches that run from your hip to your knee. Injuries to the knee sustained by repetitive use can make it difficult to move the knee, as well as ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tears.

Shin splints

Shin splints refer to pain that is felt in the shin bones. The medical terminology for this condition is “medial tibial stress syndrome.” Shin splint pain is typically caused by excess stress placed on the shinbone and the connective tissues surrounding it. This is a painful and often debilitating condition to deal with, however, they can be avoided by wearing proper shoes, warming up before exercise, and doing stretches and exercises to strengthen your core and leg muscles.

Strain or “pulled muscle”

A strain, or “pulled muscle,” happens when a tendon connecting your muscle to bone becomes overstretched. Once the tendon is stretched too far, it is more likely that it will be strained once again.

Sprain

A sprain is similar to a strain, but they are not quite the same. A sprain occurs when a ligament connecting one bone to another is stretched beyond its limits. Much like a strain, once a sprain occurs and a ligament is stretched, it is more likely that it’ll occur again.

How can physical therapy help me recover?

The skilled physical therapists here at Lexington, KYAdvantage Orthopedic PT are highly trained movement specialists who are eager to greet you and assess your condition. It is not uncommon for a physical therapist to perform diagnostic tests such as MRI’s, X-rays, or ultrasounds to pinpoint the source of your pain. Through physical examinations, they will be able to evaluate how your body moves and from there, create the best course of action and treatment plan for your needs.

Your physical therapist will take into account the nature of your injury, your fitness level, and your lifestyle when creating your treatment plan. This plan will typically include manual therapy to increase your range of motion and reduce scar tissue, strengthening exercises to enhance the injured area and stretches to improve balance and mobility. These are all done to help you recover after your sports injury and to prevent further injury from occurring in the future!

Have you recently received a sports injury? If so, Contact Advantage OrthopedicPhysical Therapy today at Lexington, KY Center to find out more about how we can help you return quickly and safely to the activities you love. You don’t have to keep sitting the game out! We can set up a consultation for you ASAP, and get you started on the road to pain relief and recovery.