Health blog Category: Sports Injuries
Three Common Knee Problems and What Physical Therapy Can Do
Knee injuries are one of the most common injuries that we see in physical therapy, whether it’s due to a sports-related injury or due to degenerative changes that occur as we age. Some of the most common knee injuries include:
- Sprains and strains
- Osteoarthritis
- Ligament injuries
- Meniscus injuries
All of these cause pain, weakness and a decrease in functional activities.
Ligament injuries
Ligament Injuries are more common among the active patient population.
Read full blogKeep Athletes Competing: Proper Warm-Up and Adequate Stretching
By: Cierra Washington, ATC
Do you know what constitutes a complete warm-up? Too often, sports-related injuries occur and could have been easily prevented had the athlete thoroughly prepared their body for practices and games. So what is an appropriate warm-up? The warm-up, which typically lasts between 10-15 minutes, feeds the body. Whether it’s a run, a jog, a swim or a brisk walk, the change in activity does several things:
- It increased the blood supply to the muscles
- It increases the heart rate
- It begins to produce more lubrication for the smooth joint motion
Now that the body is warm, the next step is to thoroughly stretch.
Read full blogKnee Pain: How to be Proactive and Prevent Long Term Issues
Knee pain is a very common problem that we treat here at Loudoun Sports Therapy Center. It can can result in difficulty with many daily activities. The number one complaint for knee patients is pain that is under or around the knee cap. This pain can greatly limit your functional mobility. Some people also experience stiffness in and around the knee causing difficulty moving the joint and generalized weakness in the affected leg. Having pain or stiffness in your knee can cause quite a few problems:
- Difficulty walking
- Pain going up or down the stairs
- Pain squatting
- Difficulty standing up from a chair
- Inability to kneel
Most likely you will also have trouble lifting, pushing or pulling objects.
Read full blogRunning a Marathon: My Biggest Takeaways
By Sarah Herndon, Patient Representative
Mile 10… okay, just 16 miles to go. That’s just 4 miles, 4 times. I can do that. Mile 17… single digit miles to go… just 3 miles 3 times. Easy. Mile 23… just about a 5K left. So close. Mile 25. Just 1.2 miles. That’s barely a lap around my block. We’re almost there!
I’ve never been a fan of numbers. But I have to say, when I was running my first marathon in April, numbers were all I could think about after a certain point.
Stretches To Keep Our Hike Pain-Free!
By Angie Austin, LPTA
There are so many beautiful places to explore around us whether is be within Virginia or elsewhere. From national parks to state parks, to local trails – you don’t have to go far to find a great place to explore. Hiking is one of my favorite ways to do this. Whenever I get out on the trails and am immersed in the natural beauty around me, I immediately find myself in my happy place.
Plantar Fasciitis: What Risk Factors Can Cause This Foot Problem…
By Kate Zanoni, LPTA
Ouch! If you’ve ever had plantar fasciitis, you know just how excruciating those first few steps are when you get out of bed in the morning. It can feel like you’re stepping on a knife as the tight connective tissue on the bottom of your foot stretches out. As someone who has had a recurrence of plantar fasciitis over the years, beginning in high school, I can tell you first hand just how painfully necessary it is to address the underlying cause to avoid flare-ups.
Conditioning: How to Prepare for Spring Sports Season
If you’re participating in a spring sport, what should you be doing now to get ready to compete in a few weeks? Hopefully, you been training in the off season or at least have been staying relatively active to maintain your level of fitness. But if you had more of a couch potato lifestyle for the past few months, it’s time to get up! According to the National Children’s Hospital, 50% of injuries could have been avoided if the athletes had been properly conditioned before competing in their respective sport.
Read full blogWhat You “Knee’d” to Know About ACL Tears
“Pop!” That’s the dreaded sensation an athlete may feel in his/her knee while maneuvering around an opponent on the field. Following an awkward landing or a sudden change in direction, the popping sensation is often followed by severe pain with weight bearing, loss of range of motion and swelling of the knee. The injury may indicate an ACL tear, which can certainly sideline you from returning to your sport for months, sometimes even years. However, surgery is not always necessary depending on the severity of the injury you sustained.
Read full blogThe Pros and Cons of Playing Multiple Sports
By Cierra Washington,ATC
Many people, parents and coaches in particular, believe that the earlier a child specializes in one sport, the greater their chances are to reach the elite level. According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), 480,000 out of 8 million (6%) of high school athletes move on to compete at the collegiate level, with roughly 3% being offered an athletic scholarship. Early specialization used to be believed as a key factor is succeeding at the elite level, but that opinion has been debunked.
What to Look for After a Possible Concussion
By: Tricia Walker, ATC
Summer sports leagues are right around the corner and the Athletic Trainers at Loudoun Sports Therapy Center want to make sure you are prepared should you or your athlete feel they have suffered a concussion.
“I jumped up to head the ball the same way I do in practice. But this time I felt dizzy after and my headache wouldn’t go away.”
Have you ever been in a similar situation with an athlete and did not know what to do?