Back Clinic Sports Injuries Chiropractic and Physical Therapy Team. Athletes from all sports can benefit from chiropractic treatment. Adjustments can help treat injuries from high-impact sports i.e. wrestling, football, and hockey. Athletes that get routine adjustments may notice improved athletic performance, improved range of motion along with flexibility, and increased blood flow. Because spinal adjustments will reduce the irritation of the nerve roots between the vertebrae, the healing time from minor injuries can be shortened, which improves performance. Both high-impact and low-impact athletes can benefit from routine spinal adjustments.
For high-impact athletes, it increases performance and flexibility and lowers the risk for injury for low-impact athletes i.e. tennis players, bowlers, and golfers. Chiropractic is a natural way to treat and prevent different injuries and conditions that impact athletes. According to Dr. Jimenez, excessive training or improper gear, among other factors, are common causes of injury. Dr. Jimenez summarizes the various causes and effects of sports injuries on the athlete as well as explaining the types of treatments and rehabilitation methods that can help improve an athlete’s condition. For more information, please feel free to contact us at (915) 850-0900 or text to call Dr. Jimenez personally at (915) 540-8444.
According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery �The most common soft tissues injured are muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
Acute injuries are caused by a sudden trauma, such as a fall, twist, or blow to the body. Examples of an acute injury include sprains, strains, and contusions.�� (http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00111) We must also not forget that there are other soft tissues that can get injured and the true definition of soft tissue, which is anything not bone is soft tissue.
This includes the brain, lungs, heart and any other organ in the body. However, in medicine soft tissue injuries are commonly known to be limited to the muscles, ligaments and tendons.
Soft Tissue Injury Classification
When we look at the type of structures that muscles, tendons and ligament are composed of, we will realize that they are connective tissue. According to the National Institute of Health �Connective tissue is the material inside your body that supports many of its parts. It is the “cellular glue” that gives your tissues their shape and helps keep them strong. It also helps some of your tissues do their work (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/connectivetissuedisorders.html). Unlike fracture repair where the bone is replaced and usually heals properly if aligned and rested, connective tissue disorders undergo a different type of wound repair that has aberrant tissue replacement as sequella to bodily injury and has subsequent abnormal permanent function.
If we focus on sprains or ligamentous injuries, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery there are three types of sprains:
Sprains are classified by severity:1
Grade 1 sprain (mild):�Slight stretching and some damage to the fibers (fibrils) of the ligament.
Grade 2 sprain (moderate):�Partial tearing of the ligament. There is abnormal looseness (laxity) in the joint when it is moved in certain ways.
Grade 3 sprain (severe):�Complete tear of the ligament. This causes significant instability and makes the joint nonfunctional.
Regardless of the severity of the sprain, there is tissue damage or bodily injury and the next step is to determine if there is healing or wound repair. According to Woo, Hildebrand, Watanabe, Fenwick, Papageorgiou and Wang (1999) ��as a result the combination of cell therapy with growth factor therapy may offer new avenues to improve the healing of ligament and tendon. Of course, specific recommendations regarding growth factor selection, and timing and method of application cannot be made at this time.
Previous attempts at determining optimal doses of growth factors have provided contradictory results. Although growth factor treatment has been shown to improve the properties of healing ligaments and tendons, these properties do not reach the level of the uninjured tissue.� (p. s320)
�No treatment currently exists to restore an injured tendon or ligament to its normal condition.�, stated Dozer and Dupree (2005). (pg. 231).
Soft Tissue Recovery Process
According to Hauser, Dolan, Phillips, Newlin, Moore and Woldin (2013) �injured ligament structure is replaced with tissue that is grossly, histologically, biochemically and biomechanically similar to scar tissue. Fully remodeled scar tissue remains grossly, microscopically and functionally different from normal tissues� (p. 6) �the persisting abnormalities present in the remodeled ligament matrix can have profound implications on joint biomechanics, depending on the functional demands placed on the tissue.
Since remodel ligament tissue is morphologically and mechanically inferior to normal ligament tissue, ligament laxity results, causing functional disability of the affected joints and predisposing other soft tissues in and around the joints further damage.� (p.7) �studies of healing ligaments have consistently shown that certain ligaments do not heal independently following rupture, and those that didn�t feel, do so characteristically inferior compositional properties compared with normal tissue. It is not uncommon for more than one ligament undergo injury during a single traumatic event.� (p.8) �osteoarthritis for joint degeneration is one of the most common consequences of ligament laxity.
Traditionally, the pathophysiology of osteoarthritis was thought to be due of aging and wear and tear on the joint, but more recent studies have shown that ligaments play a critical role in the development of osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis begins when one or more of ligaments become unstable or lax, and the bones began to track improperly and put pressure on different areas, resulting in the rubbing the bone on cartilage. This causes breakdown of cartilage and ultimately leads to deterioration, whereby the joint is reduced to bone on bone, a mechanical problem of the joint that leads to abnormality of the joints mechanics. Hypomobility and ligament laxity have become clear risk factors for the prevalence of osteoarthritis.� (p.9)
Looking globally at the research over the last 16 years, in 1999 it was concluded that the most current treatments to repair or heal the injured ligament do not reach the level of the uninjured tissue. In in 2005 it was concluded that no treatment currently exists to restore an injured tendons or ligaments to its normal condition. In addition the current standard of ligament research in 2013 concluded that that ligaments do not feel independently, but damage ligaments are a direct cause of osteoarthritis and biomechanical dysfunction (abnormality of joint mechanics). The latest research has also concluded that ligament damage or sprains is the key element in osteoarthritis and not simply aging or wear and tear on the joint.
As a result it is now clear based upon the scientific evidence that a soft tissue injury is a connective tissue disorder that has permanent negative sequela and is the cause of future arthritis. This is no longer a debatable issue and those in the medical legal forum who are still arguing �transient soft tissue injuries� are simply rendering rhetoric out of ignorance and a possible ulterior motive because the facts clearly delineate the negative sequella based upon decades of multiple scientific conclusions.
The caveat to this argument is that although there is irrefutable bodily injury with clear permanent sequella, does it also cause permanent functional loss in every scenario? Those are two separate issues and as a result of the function of ligaments, which is to connect bones to bones the arbiter for normal vs. abnormal function is ranges of motion of the joint. That can be accomplished by either a two-piece inclinometer for the spine, which according to the American Medical Association Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment, 5th Edition (p. 400) is the standard (and is still the medical standard as the 6th Edition refers to the 5th for Ranges of motion).
The other diagnostic demonstrable evidence to conclude aberrant function is to conclude laxity of ligaments through x-ray digitizing. Both diagnostic tools confirm demonstrably loss of function of the spinal joints. ��
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .�
Woo S, Hildebrand K., Watanabe N., Fenwick J., Papageorgiou C., Wang J. (1999) Tissue Engineering of Ligament and Tendon Healing, Clinical Orthopedics and Related Research 367S pgs. S312-S323
Tozer S., Duprez D. (2005) Tendon and Ligament: Development, Repair and Disease, Birth Defects Research (part C) 75:226-236
Hauser R., Dolan E., Phillips H., Newlin A., Moore R. and B. Woldin (2013) �Ligament Injury and Healing: A Review of Current Clinical Diagnostics and Therapeutics, The Open Rehabilitation Journal (6) 1-20
Cocchiarella L., Anderson G., (2001) Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment, 5th Edition, Chicago IL, AMA Press
Additional Topics: Preventing Spinal Degeneration
Spinal degeneration can occur naturally over time as a result of age and the constant wear-and-tear of the vertebrae and other complex structures of the spine, generally developing in people over the ages of 40. On occasion, spinal degeneration can also occur due to spinal damage or injury, which may result in further complications if left untreated. Chiropractic care can help strengthen the structures of the spine, helping to prevent spinal degeneration.
According to the National Institute of Health�s, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disorders:
A sprain is an injury to a ligament (tissue that connects two or more bones at a joint). In a sprain, one or more ligaments is stretched or torn. A strain is an injury to a muscle or a tendon (tissue that connects muscle to bone). In a strain, a muscle or tendon is stretched or torn.
Historically, doctors of all disciplines in the clinical setting and lawyers in the medical-legal arena have erroneously attempted to separate them into 2 distinct injuries allowing a false conclusion to be derived in either prognosis or legal arguments when considering connective tissue pathology as sequella to trauma.
Anatomy of Sprains and Strains
Solomonow (2009) wrote:
There are several ligaments in every joint in the human skeleton and they are considered as the primary restraints of the bones constituting the joint. Ligaments are also sensory organs and have significant input to sensation and reflexive/synergistic activation of muscles. The muscles associated with any given joint, therefore, also have a significant role as restraints. In some joints, such as the intervertebral joints of the spine, the role of the muscles as restraints is amplified. The role of ligaments as joint restraints is rather complex when considering the multitude of physical activities performed by individuals in routine daily functions, work and sports, the complexity of the anatomy of the different joints and the wide range of magnitude and velocity of the external loads. As joints go through their range of motion, with or without external load, the ligaments ensure that the bones associated with the joint travel in their prescribed anatomical tracks, keep full and even contact pressure of the articular surfaces, prevent separation of the bones from each other by increasing their tension, as may be necessary, and ensuring stable motion. Joint stability, therefore, is the general role of ligaments without which the joint may subluxate, cause damage to the capsule, cartilage, tendons, nearby nerves and blood vessels, discs (if considering spinal joints) and to the ligaments themselves. Such injury may debilitate the individual by preventing or limiting his/her use of the joint and the loss of function. Pgs. 136-137
While ligaments are primarily known as mechanical or supportive structures responsible for joint stability, they have equally important neurological functions. Anatomical studies have shown that ligaments in the extremities and the spine are endowed with nerves called mechanoreceptors. The presence of such that sense and send neurological information to the spine and brain in the ligaments confirms that they contribute to proprioception (feeling and analyzes one�s physical positon in space and time) and kinesthesia (similar to proprioception but can maintain feeling in these nerves even with aberrant neurological imput elsewhere) and also has a distinct role in reflex activation or inhibition of muscular activities.
Simply put, the nerves in ligaments attempts to alter muscle activity to prevent further biomechanical failure and pathology (bodily injury), which effects one�s ability to move in a balanced homeostatic manner leading to further functional loss in a short amount of time. The presence of such nerves in the ligaments confirms that they contribute to proprioception and kinesthesia and have a distinct role in reflex activation or inhibition of muscular activities. Therefore, the muscles and tendons (which are inherent in muscular activity), are responsive and dependent upon ligament activity in function with both normal and pathological (inclusive of trauma) activities.
Solomonow (2009) also reported that as far back as the turn of the last century, that a reflex may exist from sensory receptors in the ligaments to muscles that may directly or indirectly modify the load imposed on the ligament. A clear demonstration of a reflex activation of muscles finally provided in 1987 and reconfirmed several times since then. It was further shown that such a ligamento-muscular reflex exists in most extremity joints and in the spine.
Mechanism of Injury
A Single trauma according to Panjabi (2006) can cause either a tear in the ligament called laxity or a subfailure injury of the spinal ligaments and injury to the mechanoreceptors embedded in the ligaments and the following cascade of events occur: pgs. 669-670
NOTE: The subfailure injury of the spinal ligament is defined as an injury caused by stretching of the tissue beyond its physiological limit, but less than its failure point.
When the injured spine performs a task or it is challenged by an external load, the transducer signals generated by the mechanoreceptors are corrupted.
Neuromuscular control unit has difficulty in interpreting the corrupted transducer signals because there is spatial and temporal mismatch between the normally expected and the corrupted signals received.
The muscle response pattern generated by the neuromuscular control unit is corrupted, affecting the spatial and temporal coordination and activation of each spinal muscle.
The corrupted muscle response pattern leads to corrupted feedback to the control unit via tendon organs of muscles and injured mechanoreceptors, further corrupting the muscle response pattern.
The corrupted muscle response pattern produces high stresses and strains in spinal components leading to further subfailure injury of the spinal ligaments, mechanoreceptors and muscles, and overload of facet joints.
The abnormal stresses and strains produce inflammation of spinal tissues, which have abundant supply of nociceptive sensors and neural structures.
Consequently, over time, chronic biomechanical failure develops leading to premature degeneration and long-term pain.
Simply explained, when there is a ligament injury or sprain, the nerves in the ligament fire signals that go to the central nervous system and causes the muscles to react as compensation to bodily injury to stabilize the structure. That in turn sets up another cascade of problems if not compensated for or repaired as the muscle spasticity cannot maintain itself for long periods of time and goes into a posture of tetanus, or perpetual spasm until the lactic acid builds. This is followed by the muscle failing and putting the entire structure in a chronic biomechanically unstable position and causing the bone to remodel or become arthritic.
According to Hauser ET. Al (2013) ligament instability in either subfailures or laxity are a clear cause of osteoarthritis. This is not speculative as the inured will develop arthritis in 100% of the time and is consistent with Wolff�s Law that has been, and continues to be accepted since the late 18th century.
Therefore, as per the above scenario, strain-sprain is an intertwined syndrome that cannot either mechanically or neurologically be separated and will cause arthritis in 100% of the post-trauma instance. How much arthritis and how quickly it will develop is dependent upon how much ligamentous damage there is.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .�
Solomonow, M. (2009). Ligaments: a source of musculoskeletal disorders.Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies,13(2), 136-154.
Panjabi, M. M. (2006). A hypothesis of chronic back pain: ligament subfailure injuries lead to muscle control dysfunction.European Spine Journal,15(5), 668-676.
Hauser R., Dolan E., Phillips H., Newlin A., Moore R., Woldin B., Ligament & Healing Injuries: A Review of Current Clinical Diagnostics and Therapeutics, The Open Rehabilitation Journal, 2013, 6, 1-20
Additional Topics: Preventing Spinal Degeneration
Spinal degeneration can occur naturally over time as a result of age and the constant wear-and-tear of the vertebrae and other complex structures of the spine, generally developing in people over the ages of 40. On occasion, spinal degeneration can also occur due to spinal damage or injury, which may result in further complications if left untreated. Chiropractic care can help strengthen the structures of the spine, helping to prevent spinal degeneration.
If you have a child who plays sports, then you share my excitement for them when they play the game. You probably also share my apprehension about injuries. I recently witnessed one of my daughter�s teammates tear her ACL in a volleyball match�in a non-contact play. The same thing happened to my son and it was heart wrenching. In fact, this caused me to look at the latest research for ways to prevent this from happening to my child and to other children in our community. It is more important than ever before to have parents understand the importance of injury awareness. �This has never been more true today as we become a highly competitive�community.
The Research Is Revealing
My son and daughter�s teammate are not alone. There are nearly 150,000 ACL injuries in the U.S. each year (American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine). 70% of those are non-contact injuries involving landing or cutting. Females are 2-8 times more likely to suffer an ACL injury than males. Worse still: 1 in 4 go on to have another knee injury later.
One study (American Journal of Sports Medicine, 2014) looked at re-injury rates in 750 people after 5 years and found that of the 561 people who finished the study, 4.5% had their graft repairs tear and 7.5% tore the ACL in the other knee. What I found most disturbing is that the highest incidence of further injury occurred in the people who had their first surgery before 20 years of age!
I looked at several studies going back 15 years. They all conclude about the same things when it comes to injury prevention: a program of education, strength, flexibility, sport specific agility drills and plyometrics [aka: jump training] help to prevent injuries.
You might well ask: If we know that is the case, then why haven�t we taken the recommended actions to reduce the number of injuries �the rate of which are basically unchanged in the past 10 years? There are a number of reasons, and perhaps one of them is because we parents assume this is part of the coach�s job.
Truth be told, though, we really expect coaches to focus on technical training �that will help our children gain proficiency and expertise. Sure, they want to reduce injuries, too, but they can�t do it all and most don�t have degrees in injury prevention. So, if the coach can�t do it, who can? Well, if you are lucky enough to have a certified athletic trainer at your school, that helps. But for me, the �aha!� from the research is that injury prevention falls first and foremost on my shoulders as a parent.
What a Parent Can Do �And Should Not Try Do
A�childs athlete�s best training tool is BODY AWARENESS. Learning how to decelerate and land from a jump are just some of the important skills to learn that can help with performance and safety”.
The research backs this up.
There are various screening tools to assess an athlete�s ability to hop from a box, jump and land. Athletes who have poor control or have asymmetries right to left were correlated with greater injury risk. (Chorbe et al N AmJ Sorts Phys Ther 2010; Padue et al AJSM 2009).
The�PUSHasRx’s�and other local pre-season programs are progressive student education programs�starting with teaching body control in static positions, progressing to linear jumping drills and plyometrics. Then, the young athletes are taught to apply the learned techniques to deceleration activities in their sport, while all along maximizing strength and joint range of motion. This type of program needs to be ongoing to be effective (Padue et al AJSM 2012) and typically works best if done 2-3 times per week pre- season and 1 time per week in season.
Mind and Body Make the Winning Combination
So why can�t we just give our children a packet of drills to do on their own or take them to the gym ourselves? After all, I was a pretty good athlete in my day� Well, one reason is psychological. They need to understand the serious purpose of the activities and be 100% committed to what they are learning and doing. One way to do that is to work with a professional. �Sometimes kids need to hear it from someone not in a parent position to understand. �We just will have to do what it takes to get our kids to understand.
The second reason is about what is known as �motor memory�. Form is everything and it takes a trained eye to recognize and teach form, such as good landing mechanics and deceleration skills so that they become a part of motor memory. The bottom line is: If your child practices good jump-landing techniques s/he may have better form and motor memory to handle knee joint loading forces (Meyer et al. Am J Sports Med 2013).
As we head into summer�sports, let�s give our kids the best opportunity for an injury free season. I urge you to do what I�m doing: seek out a body awareness/training professional who can teach them to stay in the game they love!
El Paso, TX. Chiropractor Dr. Alex Jimenez discusses student-athletes and injuries.
Most injuries to student-athletes occur during routine practices, but only about a third of public high schools have a full-time trainer, according to the U.S.-based National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA).
“It’s important to have the right sports safety protocols in place to ensure the health and welfare of student athletes,” said Larry Cooper, chairman of NATA’s secondary school committee. “By properly preparing for practices and competitions, young athletes can excel on the field and stay off the sidelines with potential injuries.”
As Spring Season Approaches NATA Recommends Parents & Students Review Their Schools Policies On Sports Injuries
Here’s what to consider:
Who handles sports-related injuries? Know who will care for athletes who are hurt during practice. Consider that person’s experience and credentials, including first aid and medical training. Determine who makes medical decisions. Coaches and athletes may not make objective decisions about injuries and safety if they are concerned about winning.
What’s the emergency action plan? Every team should have a written plan detailing what to do if a serious injury occurs. An athletic trainer or first responder should review this plan.
Is all equipment in good working condition? Sports equipment such as field goals, turf, basketball flooring and gymnastics apparatus should be examined to make sure it’s safe. Medical equipment such as splints and spine boards should be checked routinely. Schools should have an automated external defibrillator (AED) and staff trained in its use.
Are high school coaches qualified? All coaches, assistant coaches and team volunteers should undergo a background check. They should have knowledge in the sport they are coaching and all credentials required by the state and athletic conference or league. Coaches should be trained to administer CPR, use an AED and provide first aid.
Are locker rooms and gyms sanitary? These areas should be cleaned routinely to prevent the spread of bacterial, viral and fungal skin infections. Athletes should never share towels, athletic gear, water bottles, razors and hair clippers.
NATA says parents should also help ensure their teens are both mentally and physically prepared to play sports. This includes a preseason physical to identify any health conditions that could limit their participation. Young athletes shouldn’t be pushed or forced to participate. Parents should make sure their child’s school, coaches and other staff have a copy of his or her medical history as well as a completed emergency medical authorization form.
NATA recommends parents, student-athletes and coaches keep these safety tips in mind when spring training begins:
Acclimate gradually. Athletes playing in hot weather should build up their endurance over one to two weeks. During this time, they should stay well hydrated and adjust their exercises according to weather. Athletes who must wear heavy protective equipment should gradually get used to playing in their gear. For example: wear only helmets on days one and two; then helmets and shoulder pads on days three and four, then full gear by day five.
Be aware of concussions. Student-athletes, coaches and school medical staff must be well educated on concussion prevention and management. Students with head injuries should speak up if they experience symptoms such as dizziness, loss of memory, lightheadedness, fatigue or trouble with balance.
Screen for sickle cell. All newborns are tested for this inherited trait that can lead to blockage of blood vessels during intense exertion. Athletes with sickle cell trait should take precautions. Warning signs include fatigue or shortness of breath.
Allow for recovery time. The body needs to rest between seasons. Incorporating recovery time into the year can help prevent injuries. Repetitive motions can put excessive stress on joints, muscles or ligaments, resulting in injuries from overuse.
“It’s critical that all members of a school’s sports medicine team (athletic trainers, physicians and school nurses) work together to help prevent, manage and treat injuries or illnesses should one occur,” Cooper said in a NATA news release. “With a team approach we can reduce acute, chronic or catastrophic injury and ensure a successful season all around.”
News stories are written and provided by HealthDay and do not reflect federal policy, the views of MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine, the National Institutes of Health, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
�ACL injuries have become a youth sports epidemic and are the No. 1 sports injury we operate on at our outpatient surgical center,� says Jennifer Beck, MD, associate director of the Center for Sports Medicine at the Orthopaedic Institute for Children, in a media release.
�The injury is most common in sports that involve sudden changes of direction�such as football and soccer�but fortunately there are some basic things athletes can do to lessen the chance of injury.�
Beck notes in the release that most ACL injuries are not the result of contact with another player but rather occur during sudden twisting motions (such as when the feet are planted one way and the knees are turned another way), or when landing from a jump. Factors that can contribute to ACL injuries include biomechanical issues such as muscle strength and leg alignment, as well as sport technique and preparation.
Young athletes can reduce their risk for ACL injuries by performing training drills that require balance, jumping, power, and agility.
�Drills such as these also help�improve neuromuscular conditioning and muscular reactions and have shown to ultimately decrease the risk of ACL injury,� Beck adds.
Other exercises could include focused stretches, leg raises, leg lifts, prone hip extensions, and sidesteps.
Along with these tips, the OIC Center for Sports Medicine advises parents and coaches to ensure that young athletes don�t skip the warm-ups, drink enough fluids, use proper equipment, and never play through pain.
�We want children to have fun, but it is also important to have a common sense approach to playing and to not ignore injury,� Beck shares. �While rest, ice, and ibuprofen can help reduce basic soreness, if pain persists parents should contact a physician. Failure to address a sports injury properly and promptly can lead to lifelong problems.�
[Source(s): Orthopaedic Institute for Children, Business Wire]
Sports participation is a major cause of serious injury among youth making sports activities, the second most frequent cause of injury for male and female adolescents. According to John Hopkins Medicine, 30 million children and teens participate in some form of organized sports in which more than 2.6 million children, 19 years of age and younger, are treated annually in hospital emergency rooms for sports-related injuries. Although the majority of athletic injuries (62%) occur during practice, 50% of these injuries can be avoided.
Obviously, some sports, contact sports versus non-contact sports, are more dangerous than others, e.g., football versus swimming. Although death from a sports-related injury is rare, it does occur � the leading cause, brain injury or TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury). Of all TBIs that occur among American children, including concussions, 21% involve sports and recreational-related activities. In an effort to educate parents, coaches, athletes and healthcare professionals, on injury prevention in youth athletes, the National Youth Sports Safety Foundation (NYSSF) was formed in 1989. In 2001, the non-profit foundation designated April as National Youth Sports Safety Month as a means to enhance public awareness for safety in youth sports.
We always urge residents to be vigil in safeguarding the health and welfare of young athletes. �It requires a team effort, McGee states, �it takes everyone from parents, coaches and children working together during practice and during the sporting event to prevent sports injuries.� By following these simple safety tips, adults, as well as children, can prevent sports injuries especially among children:
Parents and Coaches
Try to group youngsters according to skill level and size, not by chronological age, particularly during contact sports. If this is not practical, modify the sport to accommodate the needs of children with varying skill levels.
Match the child to the sport, and don�t push the child too hard; observe the activity and whether she/he may not like or be physically capable of doing it.
Try to find sports programs where certified athletic trainers are present. Athletic Trainers, in addition to healthcare professionals, are trained to prevent, recognize, and give immediate care to sports injuries.
See that all children get a preseason physical exam.
Don�t let (or insist that) a child play when injured. No child (or adult) should ever be allowed to work through the pain.
Get the child medical attention if needed. A child who develops any symptom that persists or that affects athletic performance should be examined by a healthcare professional. Other clues that a child needs to see a healthcare professional include inability to play following a sudden injury, visible abnormality of the arms and legs, and severe pain that prevents the use of an arm or leg.
Provide a safe environment for sports. A poor playing field, unsafe gym sets, unsecured soccer goals, etc., can cause serious injury to children.
Children
Be in proper condition to play the sport. Get a preseason physical exam.
Follow the rules of the game.
Wear appropriate protective gear.
Know how to use athletic equipment.
Avoid playing when very tired or in pain.
Make warm-ups and cool-downs part of your routine. Warm-up exercises, such as stretching or light jogging, can help minimize the chances of muscle strain or other soft tissue injury. They also make the body�s tissues warmer and more flexible. Cool-down exercises loosen the muscles that have tightened during exercise.
If your child is involved in youth sports, the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) advises parents to become educated about the risk of injuries, especially concussions and any other injury that is particularly associated with your child�s chosen sport to include meeting the Athletic Trainers on staff. If there are no Athletic Trainers available, advocate for one.
For more information on how to prevent sports injuries, visit John Hopkins Medicine hopkinsmedicine.org/, Center for Disease Control and Prevention cdc.gov/, Safe Kids Worldwide safekids.org/, American Academy of Pediatrics aap.org/, National Institute of Health Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) niams.nih.gov/, and Stop Sports Injuries stopsportsinjuries.org/.
Sprains, strains and tears are different types of injuries, and it’s important to know how they differ, a sports massage therapist says.
A sprain is the overstretching or tearing of ligaments, which are the tissues that connect bones to each other and stabilize them.
“Sprains occur when the joint is forced into an unnatural position. They happen most often in the ankle but can occur at any joint, such as the wrist or knee,” said Martin Mufich. He is also a clinical assistant professor at Texas A&M College of Nursing. Symptoms of a sprain include joint or muscle pain, inflammation, hampered movement, tenderness and bruising. “A mild sprain should take approximately seven to 10 days to heal,” Mufich said in a university news release.
“A torn ligament is considered a severe sprain that will cause pain, inflammation, bruising and result in ankle instability, often making it difficult and painful to walk. Recovery from a torn ligament may take several weeks, and should be done under the supervision of a health-care provider,” he explained.
A strain is the overstretching or tearing of a muscle or a tendon, which connects the muscles to the bones. It can occur from a single incident or over time. “An acute strain is an instantaneous stretch or tear of the muscle or tendon, whereas, a chronic strain stems from repetitive motions over time that place stress on the muscle or tendon,” Mufich said. Symptoms of a strain include muscle spasms, weakness, cramping, immobility, pain, bruising and swelling. It can take a few weeks for symptoms of a mild-to-moderate strain to ease, he explained.
A tear is the ripping of tissue in ligaments, muscles or tendons.
“Typically, the worse a tear, the more inflammation and pain a person will experience, and the longer it will take for the injury to heal,” Mufich said. In general, the treatment for sprains, strains and tears involves a plan called “RICES” — Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation and Stabilization. However, for some severe tears, such as those of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the knee, surgery may be needed.
Mufich said that it is normal to experience some discomfort during the healing process from any of these injuries, but there should not be any sharp pain. “If you are not seeing improvements within 24 hours or it is getting worse, contact a health-care provider,” he advised.
SOURCE: Texas A&M, news release, Feb. 23, 2017�
For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
Preventing Sports Injuries
Many athletes largely depend on chiropractic care to enhance their physical performance. New research studies have determined that aside from maintaining overall health and wellness, chiropractic can also help prevent sports injuries. Chiropractic is an alternative treatment option utilized by athletes to improve their strength, mobility and flexibility. Spinal adjustments and manual manipulations performed by a chiropractor can also help correct spinal issues, speeding up an athlete’s recovery process to help them return-to-play as soon as possible.
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