Sports Injuries
The majority of our active and athletic patients come in with sports injuries and have no idea how or why they happened. For the patient coping with these sports injuries, it can be a very frustrating situation.
These sports injuries frequently hinder you from exercising, participating in your favourite activity, or competing. If your sports injury is not properly identified and treated, this can linger for weeks or months.
Unfortunately, many who suffer from sports injuries will go to their primary care physician or orthopedist. If there is no structural damage, they will be told to rest for 6-8 weeks but not offered any solution and prevention for the sports injury.
Patients do not want surgery or long periods of rest if they do not need that. There typically are alternatives that are conservative and can yield lasting results.
Before we dive into how we assess, treat, and prevent sports injuries, here is how medicinenet.com defines a sports injury.
What classifies a sports injury?
Sports injuries refer to the kinds of injuries that occur during sports or exercise.
While it is possible to injure any part of the body when playing sports, the term sports injuries are commonly used to refer to injuries of the musculoskeletal system.
Some of the most common sports injuries include:
- Sprains—tears to the ligaments that join the ends of bones together. The ankles, knees, and wrists are commonly affected by sprains.
- Strains—pulls or tears of muscles or tendons (the tissues that attach the muscles to the bones)
- "Shin splints"—pain along the outside front of the lower leg, commonly seen in runners
- Achilles tendonitis or rupture of the Achilles tendon—These injuries involve the large band of tissue that connects the calf muscles to the heel
- Fractures of the bones
- Dislocation of joints