As millions of Americans of all ages participate in recreational or competitive sports every week, the number of sports-related injuries at any given time is understandably high. The injuries can be as varied as the sports activities that caused them.
“In soccer, the most common injury is a knee injury and the ankle sprain is second,” said Dr. Karyn Staples of ProHealth Physical Therapy in Peachtree City. “Ankles are the most susceptible to injury in basketball, while the lower back and shoulder are the most vulnerable in baseball.”
Overall, the different types of sports injuries typically fall into one of two categories: those that occur due to overuse and those that are the result of trauma such as a collision. While a balanced body is a goal for everyday life, certain sports create imbalances.
For instance, some tennis players will have one forearm much larger than the other, which is the result of gripping the racket more often with one arm. That is an imbalance created by the activity of the sport.
“When someone continually works the same muscle structure over and over again, fatigue will set in,” said Staples. “Once that happens, the proper muscles are not being used any longer. That leads to overuse of other muscles.”
Overuse injuries and breakdown of body parts can happen when people learning a new sport spend more time on the specifics of that physical activity than staying aware of all components of the body. As Staples pointed out, the challenge when participating in sports at any level is to be aware of the elements of that sport and how they might affect the body’s overall longevity.
“It’s all about keeping a balance,” she said.
With knee pain that is not the result of a particular trauma but has built up over time, therapists at ProHealth look at the condition of the hip above it and the ankle below it, as well as the trunk muscles between the pelvis and shoulders, to evaluate the strength and mobility of all of these areas. The goal is always to identify imbalances that can be corrected.
“If there is much pain, the initial task is to reduce the pain and improve range of motion,” said Staples. “But in general we are improving strength and symmetry within the body to allow for a return to sport, hopefully in a much better position to perform that sport because they are learning a new movement pattern that is actually more efficient for the body.”
More traumatic injuries for people who play sports such as broken bones, stress fractures, torn ligaments, or joint damage are likely to require surgery. The more balanced someone is when going into such a procedure, the better the outcome will be and the quicker the recovery and potential for returning to the sport at or near the level they left.
College and professional sports teams keep trainers on staff to manage all aspects of how those sports affect the body, such as how many pitches a pitcher on a baseball team is throwing. Women’s soccer teams keep an eye on the players’ menstrual cycles because a specific hormone increases the risk of an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear during a cycle.
“Some people are just genetically gifted for certain activities,” said Staples. “One person might have the ideal DNA to be a prima ballerina, while others work really hard and do well but also are chronically injured because they put their bodies into positions that they are not designed for.”
To facilitate success in a sport of choice, ProHealth customizes programs to each individual’s body type by looking at the specific needs of that sport and listening to the patient.“We always keep in mind the patient’s goals and perform patient-centered care so that they feel like they are being heard and what we are doing will benefit them,” said Staples.