Exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. For many people, playing sports is a fun way to burn extra calories, socialize, and get fit. Unfortunately, this also means the occasional sports injury or a flare-up of an old injury or condition. You don’t have to be a professional or even an amateur athlete to suffer a sports injury. In fact, many times, those most susceptible to sports injuries are people who have just started exercising or participate on a recreational level.
Performance For Life
N E W S L E T T E R Don’t Let Pain Sideline You
See Inside • How to Avoid Surgery • CONCUSSION 101 • Low Back Pain Workshop
August 2019
www.achieve-therapy.com
Performance For Life
N E W S L E T T E R
How to Avoid Surgery After a Sports Injury
August 2019
Exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. For many people, playing sports is a fun way to burn extra calories, socialize, and get fit. Unfortunately, this also means the occasional sports injury or a flare-up of an old injury or condition. Youdon’thave tobeaprofessionalorevenanamateurathlete tosuffer a sports injury. In fact, many times, those most susceptible to sports injuries are people who have just started exercising or participate on a recreational level. Sports injuries in this article will be defined as injuries to the musculoskeletal system, including muscles, bones and tissues such as cartilage. The most common sports injuries include: SPRAINS: A sprain occurs when the connective tissue that joins the end of the bone with another is stretched or torn. Those connective tissues are known as ligaments. Sprains are caused by trauma such as a fall or blow to the body that knocks a joint out of position. Ankles, knees, and wrists are most vulnerable to sprains. However, back, neck and shoulder sprains are very common too. STRAINS: A strain occurs when a muscle or tendon is pulled, torn or twisted. Strains are non-contact injuries, such as those that occur from overstretching. A common example of a strain is a muscle spasm. A back or neck strain is a very common injury treated in physical therapy. KNEE INJURIES: According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the knee is the most commonly injured joint.
Orthopedic surgeons see more than 5.5 million people annually for knee injuries, which can include runner’s knee (pain or tenderness close to the knee cap at the front side of the knee), tendonitis and iliotibial band syndrome (pain on the outer side of the knee). Severe knee injuries often include bone bruises or damage to the cartilage or ligaments. SHIN SPLINTS: Shin splints occur when there is a pain along the large bone in the front of the lower leg, known as the tibia or shin bone. Shin splints most commonly occur in runners, especially those who are just starting a running program. This is usually due to poor alignment of the body, or weakness in the leg muscles. The team at AchieveTherapy can treat many orthopedic and repetitive motion injuries without the need for invasive surgeries or medications. In fact, most doctors have their patients try physical therapy first before recommending any other procedures. The licensed physical therapists and physical therapist assistants at Achieve Therapy can customize a program that addresses the weakness of your particular musculoskeletal system, allowing you to recover quickly and remain active. Even if you have an old injury, it is important to have it evaluated by our physical therapists to prevent long-term damage like arthritis. If you have sports or orthopedic injuries like tendonitis, arthritis, a stress fracture or low back pain, our therapists can design a treatmentplan topromote improvedfunction,wellnessandminimize the risk of re-injury.
If you have had a sports injury, call us at 866.320.3562 or visit achieve-therapy.com today!
CONCUSSION 101 What is a Concussion? The general definition of concussion means the act of forcefully shaking or jarring. A sports concussion is a type of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) caused by a shaking or jarring of the brain. A sports concussion can occur with a bump, blow or jolt to the head or the body which causes the brain to move within the skull. This movement causes the brain to hit the inside of the skull or stretch which can result in a change in brain cell chemistry and structural injury from cell stretching. This damage can result in a variety of signs and symptoms depending on the portion of the brain involved during a sports concussion.
How can I spot a possible concussion? What is the normal recovery time for a concussion? The normal recovery time from a concussion varies from person to person and past concussion recovery time does not predict future recovery time. The patient’s signs/symptoms and course of recovery depend upon the location of themild brain injury and the severity of their injury. However, studies have shown that 80% of athletes recover from their concussion within three weeks, but 20% of concussed patients may take much longer to recover. What are some risk factors for a delayed or a prolonged recovery? What steps should be taken to help a child recover from a concussion? The first priority in the management of a sports concussion is to remove them from play as soon as a concussion is suspected. The American Academy of Neurology uses the mantra of “If in doubt, sit it out” as a guide for parents, coaches and healthcare providers. Removal from play decreases the risk of suffering another concussion and prolonging recovery. Healthcare providers should perform a sideline assessment which may include tests to rule out a neck injury, issues with memory and neurocognitive tests (tests of thinking). Afterwards, you should follow-up with a healthcare provider for reassessment and management of the sports concussion. Treatment for sports concussion consists of rest and changes in daily activities in the initial stages of recovery. Activities or environments that provokesymptoms should be avoided and may include loud music, television, smart phone use, video games and thinking tasks. Getting plenty of sleep and naps during this stage of healing is very important in the recovery from concussion.
A gradual return to symptom free physical activity is appropriate when the patient’s symptoms begin to improve. Guidance from a qualified healthcare provider is very important during this stage of recovery. Physical therapists can evaluate andmanage possible inner ear conditions associated with head trauma, balance deficits, neck pain, headaches, dizziness and appropriately pace a return to cardiovascular activity. The final phase of concussion recovery includes a graded return to play protocol that slowly progresses from light activity to full participation in order to be cleared for a full return to sports. This phase is not initiated until a patient has already returned to a full return to learning in school without accommodations, performing at their prior level of academic achievement and does not experience symptoms with learning tasks. Physical therapists are qualified to progress a patient through a return to play protocol and work with the physician for final clearance. How can Physical Therapy help a patient recover from a sports concussion? Physical therapists play an important role on a concussion management team. Physical Therapist will evaluate and treat many aspects of concussion that may include dizziness that may arise from a neck issue (cervicogenic dizziness), balance deficits, neck pain, headaches that are referred from the neck, vertigo from an inner ear condition (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo), exercises for vision issues (ocular motor exercises), issues with blood pressure & heart rate with exercise (autonomic dysregulation), and help to progress patients through a graded return to play protocol.
Are Concussions Serious? Sports concussions are described as a “mild” traumatic brain injury because concussions are not usually life threatening. However, concussions are a brain injury and can lead to serious long-term consequences if not managed correctly by a qualified healthcare professional. What healthcare professionals manage and treat sports concussions? No single healthcare professional is able to fully manage a sports concussion due to the many different issues related to a concussion. Concussion management is truly a team effort to help a patient return to his or her prior level of function. Members of the concussion management team may include a sports medicine physician, primary care physician, athletic trainer, teacher, school administrator, social worker, physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech language pathologist, psychologist, neuropsychology, neurologist, radiologist, orthopedic surgeon, ophthalmologist, ear nose & throat physician and other healthcare professions.
If you have had a concussion, call us at 866.320.3562 or visit achieve-therapy.com today!
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Low Back Pain Workshop & Open House In Grafton! Join us for a low back pain workshop & meet our new Park River & Grafton Physical Therapists: Makenzie Gedrose, PT, DPT & Lyndsi Klundt, PT, DPT Learn what causes low back pain and what can be done to prevent it naturally at our FREE interactive workshop! Lacey, Makenzie, and Lyndsi will teach you 3 tips for maintaining a healthy back and spine. Interact with our physical therapists throughout the class while learning stretches and exercises to relieve pain. Discover the facts about the causes of back pain and learn what treatment options are available and the pros and cons of each. Presented by: Lacey Wilcox, PT, DPT, Makenzie Gedrose, PT, DPT and Lyndsi Klundt, PT, DPT All Fall workshops have been announced, please visit www.achieve-therapy.com/workshop for a full listing.
INJURY PREVENTION How do most injuries occur? Most sports injuries occur from ill-prepared individuals who just jump into the activity without first increasing their strength, endurance and flexibility. Your muscles, tendons, ligaments and other tissues need to be warmed up to work properly. They take enormous strain during running and sports activities. Therefore, if they are not in top condition, they are more prone to injury. Injuries increase as you age… If you think back to when you were in your late teens, you could go into a full sprint no problem, take a flying leap and do a whole lot without the slightest thought about it. As you get older, your tissues become less elastic and in fact a little “drier.” When your muscle, tendon and ligament tissues have enough water, they are supple and stretchy, allowing you to do a lot of activities. Keep yourself hydrated and stretch often to maintain elasticity in your muscles. Before and after Knowing the right exercises to prepare for fitness activities is key. Our physical therapy experts have years of experience rehabilitating people after injuries and returning them pain-free to the activities they enjoy. What some people might not know is that physical therapists put specific exercise plans together based on your needs to prevent injury. Ifyoudostart toexperiencepainwithactivities,AchieveTherapy can get you back to enjoying your activities pain-free. Call today to learn more how our programs can help you feel great! Preparing your body… It is important to do sports activities, fitness and a host of other physical activities to keep you healthy and happy. With a little bit of preparation, you can easily do these activities and decrease your risk for injury.
• Do stretch often • Do strength training • Do coordination training • Do endurance training
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