Health blog Category: Sports Injuries
What Are the Signs of a Pulled Muscle?
By Mike Bills, MS PT
So what are some signs that you may have pulled a muscle? You will generally notice some level of discomfort either right away while you are doing the activity or in the following 24 hours. This is what we typically brush off as “typical soreness” after going for a long walk, standing for a long period of time, running, doing yard work, etc. However, too often, people don’t pay attention to this post-activity soreness because they think it is normal.
Why Cross Training is Important to Prevent Injury
By Xavier Thompson, ATC
Cross training. What is it and why is it important? If you follow the headlines of any sports’ stars in the off season, you’ll likely see multiple stories about how an athlete is doing something besides their professional sport to prepare for the next season. You can find videos on the internet of star basketball players boxing or doing core work. Articles are written about football players taking up ballet or yoga.
Off-Season Conditioning to Prevent Problems
By: Cierra Washington, ATC
Summertime is often the cue to relax, lay by the pool, go on vacation and take some time off. While that may be true to an extent, it’s important, particularly for athletes, to make sure they are keeping up with off-season conditioning routines so they aren’t losing the progress they’ve made throughout the season. Summer is the perfect time to get in shape! Whether an athlete is preparing for the fall season or not, it’s important to maintain a basic level of fitness in order to minimize the chances of injury when they return to their sport.
Ever had shooting discomfort when walking or running?
Shin splints are a very common injury among active or newly active people. It’s also a very common injury with fall sports athletes who may have been relatively inactive over the summer and then are jumping back into their sport full force come tryouts.
The medical term for this condition is medial tibial stress syndrome. What does this mean? This translates into inflammation of the muscles, tendons, and bone tissues surrounding the lower leg or shin region.
Does Running Cause Arthritis…
As the weather cools down, you’re likely to spend more time outside walking, running, hiking and doing your other favorite outdoor activities. The concept of running seems easy. You put on a pair of sneakers, head outside and begin your journey. However, there are a number of misconceptions and misunderstandings about the sport that I would like to help dispel.
Whether you’re an avid runner, a weekend warrior, a beginner, or someone who only runs if you’re being chased, I’ve compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions I’ve been asked about running.
Strengthening Multiple Parts Prevents Problems
May 10th 2018If you look through the plan of care for a patient who comes to Loudoun Sports Therapy Center because they are feeling ankle pain for example, you will notice that their exercises and stretches are not only focusing on their ankle but also their hips and their knees. Not surprising, a common question we hear as physical therapists is ‘why do I have to strengthen my hips if I am here for my ankle?’
Regardless of the body part a patient is coming here for whether that be their ankle, their hip, their back or shoulder, we answer with this explanation: Everything in the body is connected in some way and what happens at one joint affects what happens at other joints.
Have a Knot in a Muscle that Just Won’t Loosen?
By: Devin Wurman, DPT
Ever had a stubborn knot in your neck, back, leg, really anywhere in the body? These knots can be painful and make daily motions difficult and uncomfortable. But what do you do when you can’t seem to stretch our that knot? As physical therapists, we are always looking at different techniques and exercises to incorporate into our sessions with patients. We challenge and work their bodies so they become stronger, more flexible, and more mobile.
Taking Care of a Fracture
What is a fracture? The word, ‘fracture’ is a medical term that refers to a crack or break in a bone. Bones are made of calcified materials, which give them their hard rigid structure.
There are several types of fractures:
- Greenstick- when a bone is bent, but not broken all the way through.
- A buckle fracture results from compression of two bones driven into each other.
- A growth plate fracture occurs at the joint and can result in shorter bone length.
The Benefits of Post-Op Physical Therapy
By Xavier Thompson, ATC
Is post-op physical therapy necessary? Are you scheduled to have surgery? While surgery may repair damaged tissues, some of the most important work to ensure that you stay healthy occurs after you leave the operating room. Whether you are young or old, an elite athlete or a weekend warrior, it is important to involve the appropriate healthcare professionals in order to reach your full potential and reduce your chance of future injury.
Overuse and Repetitive Motions
By Angie Austin, LPTA
What exactly are overuse injuries? These types of injuries occur when you try to too much at once. Do you remember the last time you started a new exercise program or did a lot of the same physical activity at once? It probably resulted in pain or tendonitis. Tendonitis is the inflammation of a tendon due to repetitive trauma or overuse. In most cases, if you stop the activity, your symptoms will resolve as the tendon heals.
