Sports Injuries: From The Common To The Most Bizzare
Have you been struggling to get back on the court since rolling your ankle? Do you notice your knees still hurt every time you run or jump? Our physical therapists specialize in resolving sports-related injuries at Agility Physical Therapy.
Injuries are a part of sports, and most athletes learn the sooner you seek help, the sooner you start feeling better. With advancements in training strategies, we have learned how to minimize the risk of injuries.
Unfortunately, sometimes the injury is so unusual that it’s hard to believe it is connected to training or competing. Athletes, through the years, have sustained some of the most bizarre injuries that no amount of training or preparations could prevent.
Our physical therapists take a proactive approach to rehabilitation and deal with issues when they are small, which leads to a faster recovery. We understand the training and commitment needed to compete, but we also know accidents happen.
No matter how an athlete hurts themselves, our physical therapists at Agility Physical Therapy can help you recover from an injury and learn preventative strategies to keep you doing what you love!
Request an appointment today!
What are the most common sports injuries?
Most athletes learn that taking care of themselves is the most effective way to prevent serious injuries. Despite all the advancements, injuries still occur and typically fall under one of two categories:
- Acute: These injuries are caused by a specific incident, such as a sprain/strain, a fall, or other forms of trauma.
- Overuse: Improper form or too many repetitions leads to overuse injuries.
Acute sports-related injuries are the most common sprains and strains. Sprains occur when the ligament is stretched or torn. In comparison, a strain is an injury to a muscle or tendon. Fractures and concussions are also considered acute injuries and typical in sports participation.
Sprains are typically caused by trauma like rolling your ankle, being hit by an object, or being tackled by someone. Strains are often due to non-contact injuries, such as those that arise from overstretching. Whether an acute injury is traumatic or non-traumatic, it is a sudden event that is easy to remember and describe.
Overuse injuries can be tricky to identify because there is little to no pain early on, and there rarely is a specific event at the start. Most overuse injuries are caused by repetitive activities or improper techniques repeated over an extended period.
Most times, the traumas related to overuse injuries are minor (aka microtraumas). Over time repeated microtrauma to the tissues (i.e., muscle, tendon, bone, or ligaments) cannot repair themselves adequately and eventually are overloaded and become injured.
Overuse injuries in sports are often due to muscular imbalances after accelerated growth, poor techniques, excessive or limited flexibility, and excessive training volume.
Fortunately, our physical therapists at Agility Physical Therapy are highly skilled at identifying the root cause of your injury and, more importantly, know how to proactively resolve it so you can get back to the sport you love!
What are the most bizarre sports-related injuries?
Most athletes are familiar with the usual aches and pains of playing sports. Still, bizarre injuries are associated with a particular sport, and unusual injuries happen to athletes but aren’t necessarily due to the sport they play.
Athletes that compete in rodeos experience a much higher risk of sustaining a rope burn or a contusion (bruise) from getting kicked than someone competing in a more conventional sport like basketball or soccer—the more exotic the sport, the more unusual the possible injury.
The most bizarre sports-related injuries can also result from an unusual circumstance in a conventional sport. For example, a hockey player who cuts their hand on the skate blade or a broken nose from missing a catch in baseball or softball is forced to sit on the sideline while their injury heals.
Some of the most bizarre sprains and strains are sports injuries from an unusual events like:
- Jumping to celebrate a winning kick or shot that results in an ankle sprain or ACL tear
- Swinging the arms in celebration (or frustration) results in a shoulder injury or broken hand bones.
- Forceful sneeze that causes a back strain or herniated disc
These sports injuries occur from events that cause the joint to move out of its normal range of motion resulting in the overstretching or tearing of a ligament, muscle, or tendon. It is also possible for sitting watching a game film to leave the athlete with a crick in their neck that impacts their ability to move their neck when training or competing.
The good news is that our physical therapists at Agility Physical Therapy will identify the factors related to your condition, help you resolve your pain, and correct any errors in your training or exercise plan to ensure you can compete at your highest potential!
What to expect at your Agility Physical Therapy physical therapy sessions
Physical therapy aims to help you recover from any injury, no matter the cause, and prevent any future problems from sidelining you. In addition to treating the injury, our physical therapists will help resolve your pain, range of motion deficits, and any weakness affecting your performance.
At Agility Physical Therapy, our therapists will conduct a thorough history to understand more about the exact nature of the injury and your personal goals. In addition, we will perform a comprehensive physical examination and movement screening to identify any underlying condition that may affect your rehab.
Our proactive programs focus on correcting any dysfunction or improper technique that may be causing pain or increasing your risk of future injuries. Our plans focus on re-establishing the range of motion and dynamic stability and implementing a strengthening program to restore the strength, power, and endurance of the entire body to maximize your performance when competing.
Request an appointment today!
At Agility Physical Therapy, we will work with you to accommodate your needs by providing the most advanced rehabilitation strategies and injury prevention programming to keep you competing at the highest level possible.
Call today to set up an appointment with one of our sports-injury specialists!