Health blog Category: Sports Injuries
Don’t let a Concussion Sideline You
By Tricia Walker, ATC
Your days have probably gotten a lot busier with spring sports seasons in full swing. It’s staying lighter later so you and your teammates can actually hit the fields and practice outside. But as lacrosse, soccer, tennis and other sports ramp up, so does your risk of injury. You may think that a concussion only happens in football games or car crashes. But the truth is, soccer players and lacrosse players are at just as high a risk.
Injury Prevention Tips for Runners – How to Spend Less Time Nursing Pain
By Kate Zanoni, LPTA
If you’re an avid runner, chances are high that you’ve experienced an injury or two over the years. Running is a great sport, but it places a lot of stress on your joints. According to Runner’s World magazine, approximately 66 percent of runners admit to having sustained a running-related injury in the past year. The good news is you can take several steps to help prevent common maladies, whether you’re a roadrunner, treadmill connoisseur or trail racer.
March is National Athletic Training Month
When you hear the words, Athletic Trainer, it’s no surprise that many people envision the person wearing khakis and a fanny pack running out on the field during a football game when someone gets injured. That is true, athletic trainers are most known for their involvement with sports teams at all levels. But they do so much more than that! You may not realize this but Athletic Trainers work in many different settings to ensure athletes, employees, and the general public stay injury-free. March is National Athletic Training Month and to honor all of our Certified Athletic Trainers, let’s learn a little more about their vital role.
Read full blogShin Splints: Too Much, Too Soon
By: Kate Zanoni, LPTA
Doing too much too soon can be a recipe for shin splints! So what are they and how can you prevent them? Shin splints, also known as medial tibial stress syndrome, MTSS, are an overuse injury caused by repetitive stress to the lower legs. It’s common for runners to get them especially when they don’t gradually increase their mileage. Remember feeling pain in your shins right your first few practices at the start of a sports season?
Winter Injuries: LSTC Treats Concussions and Cervical Pain
By: Tricia Walker, ATC
While winter in Virginia can mean snow, sun, ice and rain all in the same week, between slick road conditions and heavy traffic, winter injuries like concussions and cervical pain can be more frequent. Many people suffer from chronic neck pain, tightness and headaches. However, few seek the attention they need to address the root of the problem and instead mask the pain with Advil and Tylenol. Cervical pain can start for a number of reasons like poor posture, stress, falls and even car crashes.
No Pain, No Gain Is Not Always the Best Policy: How to Protect Yourself from Acute and Overuse Injuries
The phrase, ‘no pain, no gain’ can certainly be motivating, but it isn’t always the best policy if you want to avoid acute and overuse injuries. As the weather begins to warm up, many people rush into doing some type of outdoor activity. It is important to know that if you’ve been sedentary during the cold winter and spring months, rushing into a sport can lead to serious injuries.
There are two types of injuries to be aware of when starting a new activity: acute and overuse. Acute injury is usually caused by a traumatic event. This could be spraining your ankle, dislocating your shoulder, or tearing a ligament in your knee. Overuse injuries are different. The most common cause of these is repetitive movement. Overtime, these can cause micro-tears or trauma to the tendons, bones, or ligaments. Have you ever heard of tennis elbow? That’s a common example of an overuse injury. Tennis elbow isn’t just caused by playing tennis. It can also occur when someone starts gardening after long winter months indoors or weekend athletes who work at a desk all week and are just getting back into softball and baseball on the weekends.
How to Cross Train if You’re a Performing Artist
We treat a wide range of performing artists at Loudoun Sports Therapy Center; from dancers to cheerleaders, from gymnasts to figure skaters. The demands placed on a performing artist require a large amount of strength, control, and endurance. In addition to the physical demands, there is also the artistic/aesthetic component that must be a primary focus. In traditional dance training, there is a strong emphasis on the artistic component rather than the physical conditioning. Both elements must be trained equally so that the performing artist is well-rounded and able to progress their training without injury.
Read full blogSuffering from Knee Pain? It Could be “Runner’s Knee”.
Are You Suffering From Runner’s Knee?
If you’ve experienced pain behind your kneecap or in the front of your knee, you may be suffering from patellofemoral pain syndrome or ‘Runner’s Knee’. ‘Runner’s Knee’ is often characterized by pain behind the knee (retropatellar pain), pain around the kneecap (peripatellar pain) or pain in the front of the knee (anterior knee pain). It is associated with activities that put stress on the knee joint, such as running, sports and recreational activities.
The Importance of Warming Up and Cooling Down Correctly
Many people go out for a run or start a pickup game of basketball without understanding the importance of warming up and cooling down correctly. Participating in a regular warm-up routine prior to playing a game, running, exercising or engaging in any high-intensity activity in crucial to preventing serious injuries. Some of these injuries include:
- Strains and sprains
- Shin splints
- Knee injuries
- Tendinitis
- Dislocations
- Fractures
Physical therapists, physical therapist assistants and athletic trainers see these types of injuries on a regular basis.
Read full blogIs Your Shoulder Pain Coming From the Rotator Cuff?
Have you ever felt a twinge in your shoulder when lifting something, or do you suffer from an aching shoulder at the end of the day? This could be a sign that your rotator cuff is weak and irritated. Various studies* show that 20% of people with shoulder pain after age 32 have a rotator cuff tear. This jumps up to 30% after age 40 and over 80% in people with shoulder pain after age 60.
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