As an athlete, your body is your instrument. It is important that your body is in prime condition, free of injury and pain. The problem is, as an athlete, your body takes a beating. Whether you play at a professional level, or for a high school team, you have likely experienced a sports injury. When you have a sprain or dislocation to deal with, physical therapy can be your saving grace. In order to save yourself a trip, you should be aware of the most common sports injuries, and the things you can do to prevent them.
Most common sports injuries
- Sprains. Sprains occur when a ligament stretches or tears. They are most common in ankles, knees, and wrists. When you land wrong after a jump or fall, you could wind up with a sprain. These can range in severity from very mild to quite serious. Some sprains can be taken care of at home, while others require physical therapy.
- Knee injury. Whether you’ve come down with a case of runner’s knee, or torn your ACL, knee injuries are no fun. These can result from poor leg conditioning, or extreme wear and tear. No matter what your knee injury is, physical therapy can help you get healthy and back on the field quickly.
- Shin splints. For runners, shin splints are all too common and unwelcome. These nasty shin pains result from running on hard surfaces, lack of stretching, or bad shoes. A physical therapist can help you alleviate the pain and learn better conditioning habits.
- Tennis elbow. While tennis elbow obviously affects tennis players, it can be a problem for other athletes as well. Overuse of tendons and muscles in the forearm can cause a lot of strain on the elbow and cause pain. After a good amount of rest, a physical therapist can show you good exercises to build up strength in the area.
- Quad strains. Whether your quad strain is a result of frequent use, a muscle imbalance, or a lack of stretching, it is definitely a pain to deal with. A physical therapist can help you identify the cause and take steps to prevent future strains.
Not all sports injuries are preventable. Some are just random side effects of an active life. Whether you need personal training to maintain proper conditioning, or you need help recovering from a sports injury, Life Fitness Physical Therapy can help.
Schedule an appointment with Life Fitness Physical Therapy to start taking steps to a healthier life. Call 410-368-1026 or click here to find the location nearest you. You can also follow our Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, and Google+ accounts to keep up with us.
