Summer is here, which means that many kids and adults are heading out on the field or court to play their favorite sports. In travel therapy, you want to encourage physical activity for all of your patients, and sports are an excellent (and fun) way to fit fitness into your life.
Whether it’s baseball, basketball, soccer or football, sports can definitely help improve cardiovascular health. However, these games, and especially contact sports, don’t come without risks. Chances are the last time you watched a sporting event, a player got hurt or the game had to be stopped due to some kind of physical ailment.
Fall is right around the corner, which means that another sports season is on its way. In order to help your patients stay healthy and enjoy these games and matches in a healthy way, prevention is key. Here are the most common sports injuries that you should be aware of during your travel physical therapy jobs:
Knee injuries, including torn ACLs
The knee is one of the most important joints in the entire body, but it is also one of the more complex ones, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. There are a lot of ligaments and bones that connect the knee together, including the kneecap, shin bone, thigh bone and the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which is a small but important and highly sensitive ligament.
Knee pain is a common sports injury that can be successfully rehabbed.
Many famous athletes have endured knee problems over the years, including soccer legend Pele, NFL quarterback Tom Brady, New York Yankees star Mickey Mantle and Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose (among numerous other NBA players). Because many sports rely on a lot of running, numerous repetitive motions, sudden sprints and abrupt stops, the knee often works overtime and bears the brunt of physical activity.
As such, ligaments tear and joints wear down – which can be very painful. Physical therapists employ several exercises to help strengthen the muscles around the knee once a doctor has determined it’s safe to do so. However, in severe cases, such as an ACL tear, surgical treatment may be necessary.
Shin splints
Running is a common activity in many sports, which can contribute to medial tibial stress syndrome (more commonly known as shin splints). In many cases, shin splints develop when a workout or training plan for a sport intensifies or changes suddenly, causing the shin to become overworked, according to the Mayo Clinic. Pain, tenderness and swelling are common symptoms of shin splints, and athletes who have flat feet or train on uneven surfaces are more prone to this condition. In most cases, rest, ice and changing a workout routine can reduce the occurrence of shin splints.
Ankle sprains
Like knees, ankles go through a lot of wear and tear during sports activities, which is why ankle sprains are a very common injury among athletes. in fact, according to the American College of Sports Medicine, almost one half of all sports injuries are ankle sprains, so there is a good chance you might treat a sprained ankle during your travel therapy jobs. The ACSM also stated that a large majority (more than 80 percent) of all ankle sprains are caused by the inward rolling of the ankle, which usually happens due to sudden, forceful movements. These percentages make sense, because almost all sports, including baseball, tennis, football, soccer and basketball, involve sudden stops and movements. People who have endured ankle injuries before are more likely to have recurring issues with ankle sprains, and the position an athlete plays can influence the chances of getting an ankle sprain.
Many sports injuries occur in the lower half of the body.
Rehab therapy is usually needed for an ankle sprain after a period of rest and immobilization. Physical therapists will often encourage patients to strengthen the muscles around the ankle and the calves. Balance board exercises can also reduce the risk of ankle re-injury by more than 50 percent, according to the ACSM.
Strained hamstrings
Muscle strains are a common occurrence for athletes, especially when it comes to hamstrings. This injury is also known as a pulled muscle, but a hamstring strain can actually affect a number of muscles in the thigh. According to the National Institutes of Health, there are three levels of hamstring strains, a mild strain, partial tear or complete muscle tear. Although a mild strain can usually heal on its own after a few days of ice and rest, a partial or complete tear will likely require physical therapy and rehab.
It’s very important that patients start slowly when they get back into physical activity, as it is possible for the muscle to re-tear if they undergo too much exertion. As such, the two week to six month window after the injury is crucial to recovery. During this time, stretching and plyometric exercises must be performed, then the patient can ease into light physical activity like jump roping or side jumping over objects, all of which must be done under supervision.
Tennis elbow can be a painful, but treatable, sports injury.
Tennis elbow
Strengthening exercises are very important for recovery when one is diagnosed with tennis elbow. Many patients find that they can regain strength by squeezing a rolled-up sock or ball, or with wrist curls and bicep curls. Wrist deviation exercises can also boost the flexor muscles and ease the irritation over time.
Physical therapists need to be wary of these common injuries as the summer sports winds down and other sports pick up in the fall. With more adults and kids playing sports during this time of the year, it’s likely that travel therapists will be treating most of these ailments.