Health blog Category: sports injuries
Warm-ups and Adequate Stretching
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?
Warm-ups
The warm-up, 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 blogSolving Foot and Ankle Problems
Foot and ankle conditions are very common for every age group. Even if it’s just general discomfort, foot and ankle conditions cause a lot of problems with daily, functional activities. The most frequent complaint we see in the clinic is pain at the ankle joint that can radiate up into the leg or down into the heel. This symptom causes difficulty walking or standing for a prolonged period of time. It can also create trouble going from a seated position to a standing one without pain.
What Happens When Foot and Ankle Problems are Not Taken Care Of?
Read full blogPain When Touching Our Toes can Indicate a Hamstring Problem
Our Hamstring Muscles are the reason behind our ability or inability, to touch our toes. The hamstring, is the muscle that runs from deep in the buttock to the back of the knee. This muscle primarily bends the knee and extends the hip backwards, and is very important with walking and running.
Some common hamstring problems include:
- Lack of flexibility
- Lack of strength
- Poor endurance
When these muscles in the back of the thigh are neglected, these deficits can cause cramping when we roll in bed and get up in the morning, can contribute to lower back problems and stiffness, and can even cause a strain or tear when playing a pick-up basketball game.
Read full blogWhat to do About a Concussion
Many people think that a concussion only happens in football games or car crashes. But the truth is, all athletes are at just as high a risk for these brain injuries.
So how do you reduce the risk of you or your athletes getting sidelined by a concussion?
What is a Concussion and How Does it Occur?
A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that alters the way the brain functions.
Read full blog“I’ve Pulled My Hamstring!”
There have been numerous times athletes have grabbed the back of their leg and hobbled off the field or court in pain. This is often because they’ve pulled their hamstring muscle.
What is the hamstring and why is it injured so often?
The hamstring complex is made up of three muscles that originate from the ischial tuberosity (bone in the buttock region), proceeds down the back of our leg, and then crosses the knee on either side.
Read full blogWhere That Elbow Pain is Coming From
Nov 12th 2019Many people have heard of and will use terms like ‘tennis elbow’ and ‘golfer’s elbow.’ What exactly are these conditions and what’s the difference? The truth is, not much. Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow are both overuse injuries that are caused by any activity that requires repetitive motion of the arm and wrist.
The difference between the two conditions:
The difference lies in where the elbow is inflamed.
Read full blogA Strengthening Program’s Role in Preventing Injuries
For athletes, being stronger and strengthening properly will help them to experience a significant decrease in potential for injury, and experience an overall greater ease of activity and movement with everything they do. This all starts with knowing what muscles to work and how to work them correctly.’
Typically, there will be no immediate effect to having weakness in a particular muscle in your body. The effects are usually more long term in the sense that “weakness” or lack of proper strength in an area, results in excess friction on the bones in the joint, excessive wear and tear on tendons and cartilage around a joint, and more.
Setting up a Strengthening Program
First and foremost, you need to know what the strength of the smaller supporting muscles are, in the area you wish to begin to strengthen.
Read full blogWhat to Be Careful of When Running or Jogging
Whether we are pounding the pavement for a short jog or we’re a routine racer, running is great cardiovascular training. It is a gratifying way to maintain overall fitness. Although the act of running itself may initially seem daunting if we’re not an avid runner, we will reap the physical benefits within a few weeks.
The key is to start slowly and add distance incrementally to decrease the risk of injury.
Here are the top 10 health benefits of running:
- Improve Longevity
- Burn Fat
- Reduce Your Cancer Risk
- Strengthen Your Core
- Improve Your Sleep
- Reduce Your Risk of Osteoporosis
- Boost Your Mood:
- Reduce Your Risk of Diabetes
- Reduce Your Risk of Blood Pressure and Heart Disease
- Boost Your Immunity
Preventing Injury: Running Ritual Musts and the Importance of Stretching
These tips are essential for optimizing your running dexterity, whether you’re an indoor treadmill devotee, an outdoor roadrunner or a trail running enthusiast.
Curing Hamstring Pain
Pain that originates at our “butt” bones, behind/sides of the knee, or anywhere in between could be indicating a hamstring injury! First, let’s discuss a little bit about the hamstring anatomy and its function in our daily life.
The hamstring is comprised of three muscles:
- Biceps femoris
- Semitendinosis
- Semimembranosus
These three muscles all originate at the ischial tuberosity, commonly referred to as your “butt” bones, and inserts below the knee on your tibia and fibula. The Hamstrings primary function is to not only flex your knee, but also assist in extending the hip.
Read full blogProper Preparation is Key to Avoiding Injuries
Nowadays, free-time activities can look a little different for kids as various technologies are at our fingertips. If you’re a student athlete who participates in sports year-round, you might maintain a higher level of physical activity. Overall though, the general lack of physical activity, means fitness levels decrease significantly and therefore the return to sports is more difficult. It’s all the more reason why proper preparation is key.
When returning to any sport, it’s important to treat your body appropriately, with care and attention.