Sports injuries can affect people of all ages and ability levels. They can affect a variety of body parts, including the head, neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, back, hip, knee and ankle. Some common sports-related injuries include:
- Achilles tendinitis
- Ankle sprain
- Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) sprain or tear
- Anterior knee pain
- Dislocations
- Fractures
- Golfer’s elbow
- Hamstring strain
- Knee medial collateral ligament sprain
- Labral tear in the shoulder or hip
- Meniscus tear
- Patellofemoral pain syndrome
- Post-concussion syndrome
- Rotator cuff injuries
- Shin splints
- Shoulder instability
- Sprains
- Tennis elbow
These injuries can limit future participation and enjoyment of athletic activities if not treated promptly. Physical or occupational therapy is a component of most treatment plans in order for patients to achieve a full recovery and resume their athletic activities.
Who Can You See for Diagnosis and Treatment Advice?
At Glencoe Regional Health, providers in our family medicine, internal medicine, orthopedics, and pediatrics departments can provide diagnosis and treatment for sports-related injuries, or refer you to another medical professional as your condition requires. For injuries that require immediate medical attention, visit our urgent care center or emergency room. There are a variety of treatment approaches that may be appropriate for your specific injury, such as physical or occupational therapy, medications and surgical procedures.
How Can Therapy Help?
The goal of therapy will depend on your symptoms and diagnosis. Common goals include:
- Decreasing pain with certain positions and activities
- Getting back to running, jumping and throwing without difficulty
- Resuming athletic participation
What Can You Expect During Evaluation and Treatment?
At the first visit, your therapist will perform a thorough evaluation to assess how your nerves, muscles and skeleton function together and better understand how your injury affects your ability to perform daily tasks and desired athletic activities. Next, your therapist will create an individualized treatment plan. He or she will discuss the treatment plan with you, including the number of treatment sessions and activities that will be included in future therapy sessions to reach your treatment goals.
Therapists use a number of different approaches to treat sports-related injuries:
- Manual therapy is the skilled use of the therapist’s hands to reduce tension in the muscles, decrease pain and improve movement.
- Neuromuscular re-education is used to improve muscle control, balance and how your body moves.
- Therapeutic exercise involves stretching, strengthening and home exercise programs.
- Electrical stimulation may be used to decrease pain and muscle spasm.
Some of our therapists may also use the Dynavision D2 as part of your treatment plan.
Which Therapists Evaluate and Treat Sports Injuries?
All of the physical therapists at Glencoe Regional Health provide care for sports-related injuries to the neck, shoulder, back, hips, knees and ankle. Our occupational therapist provides care for sports-related injuries to the hand, wrist and elbow. Our speech-language therapists provide care for patients with post-concussion syndrome.
