Tag Archives: athletic physiotherapy

ACL Rehabilitation, Elbow injuries, Fracture Rehabilitation, Golfer's elbow, Sports Injuries, Sports Physiotherapy

10 Common Injuries For Athletes

March 26,2024 Erin Mills Physiotherapy Leave a comment

Sports injuries can vary widely depending on the type of sport, the level of competition, and the mechanisms of injury. Some of these injuries you may have experienced yourself while others you may have heard of or even seen them happen on television. Our team at PhysioNow has treated many athletics and sports injuries over the years and would love to share our experiences with them!

1. Ankle sprains/tears

Rolled ankles are very frequently seen sports injuries

Often, injuries to the ankle ligaments are seen as a result of a running or jumping sport. In most cases, the ankle gets bent too far in a certain direction, resulting in fibers of the ankle ligament(s) getting torn. In the initial stage, ice, rest and management of pain and swelling are key. Most people will require some sort of brace or boot and take around 8 weeks to recover with physiotherapy.

2. ACL Tear

ACL tears are a very serious injury that many athletes require surgical intervention for. Tears or ruptures happen in this stabilizing ligament during sudden movements, especially rapid changes in direction, starting and stopping, and pivoting on the knee. After a surgical repair, a strict rehabilitation protocol with a physiotherapist is key for athletes to recover.

3. AC Joint Injuries

The AC joint in the shoulder is usually injured through a fall onto on outstretched hand or in contact sports where the arm gets forcefully shoved across the body. This usually results in tears in the joint capsule and ligament that holds the 2 bones together. As a result, it may produce a bump above the shoulder from the collar bone sticking out. Depending on the extent of the tear, surgical intervention may or may not be necessary, with physiotherapy following to mobilize and strengthen the shoulder.

4. Hamstring or groin strains

The 2 most commonly pulled muscles occur at the back or inside of the leg. For athletes, the high speed and forceful movements of jumping, kicking, and sprinting put these 2 muscles under a lot of stress. Some strains may heal on their own, but many would benefit from athletic physiotherapy to speed the recovery process up, and ensure that strength, coordination and balance returns to the athlete fully.

5. Meniscal Injuries

The menisci are like little cushions inside our knees that act as shock absorbers. They are commonly injured alongside other structures in the knee including the MCL, LCL, and ACL ligaments. Outcomes for the menisci can be highly variable and will likely require thorough examination by a physiotherapist and orthopedic surgeon to establish a prognosis.

6. Rotator cuff injuries

Our shoulders are a very complex joint that sacrifices stability for mobility. As a result, they are commonly injured structures, especially in overhead and throwing athletes. The first line of treatment for athletes is physiotherapy to rehabilitate the muscle and where that fails, surgery may be required.

7. Fractures

Broken bones are common no matter what sport, but the type and severity of the fracture will change the rehabilitation. Some cases will require a surgical repair immediately, while others will need to be casted for 6-8 weeks. Afterwards, once cleared by a doctor, athletic physiotherapy will be started immediately to restore the mobility and strength of the affected area.

8. Tennis/Golfer’s Elbow

Bandit tennis elbow brace

Most likely to be seen in throwing or racket sports, this is an overuse injury affecting your elbow and forearm. The muscles that control or wrist experience a lot of strain when hitting and throwing which can result a stress injury. Usually, there is inflammation, pain, swelling, and difficulty gripping/carrying objects.

9. Jumper’s Knee

Jumper’s knee is an overuse injury causing pain right below the kneecap, on the patellar tendon. High intensity and repetitive motions can irritate the tendon causing tenderness, swelling, and inflammation. Athletic physiotherapy may consist of education on bracing, activity modifications, and therapeutic exercises to help you restore your normal function.

10. Concussion

Concussions are traumatic brain injuries that are common sport injuries due to the high-speed nature of many sports. Contact sports like hockey, football and rugby athletes are at higher risk of concussions. They are usually paired with a neck/whiplash injury as well, and can produce a whole host of visual, vestibular, cognitive and physical symptoms.

All of these conditions are commonly seen in our physiotherapy clinics across the GTA. If you or someone you know is looking for athletic physiotherapy for one of the conditions above, or any other sports injuries, we would love to help! PhysioNow can offer same day emergency treatments as well. Book with PhysioNow today for your first assessment and treatment!

Massage Therapy, Physiotherapy, Sports Injuries, Sports Physiotherapy

Stopping Shin Splints with Physiotherapy

March 19,2024 Erin Mills Physiotherapy Leave a comment

What is a shin splint?

Shin splints are a common complaint in runners or athletes with sports that involve a lot of high impact movements like dancers, volleyball, basketball players, etc.

Usually, it presents as pain in the front of the lower leg, or the shin area. Sometimes, it may be called medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS). Oftentimes, it’s caused by irritation of the tissues between the tibial bone and the muscles, and/or overuse of a lower leg muscle called the tibialis anterior. It can happen to just a single leg, or both simultaneously.

The muscle, tibialis anterior, may be involved in the development of shin splints.

The tibialis anterior play major role in lifting your ankle upwards (dorsiflexion). Functionally, it helps with shock absorption and is a major contributor during ambulation.

Why do shin splints happen?

1) Footwear: If you run or exercise a lot without proper running or sports shoes, it puts additional stress on the muscles around the leg. Consequently, this can result in the overuse and irritation of the structures in the area, and pain in the shin bone.

2) Sudden change in activity: Abruptly increasing the difficulty in your exercise routine like training more frequently, for longer periods of time, or increased repetitions increases your chance of developing shin splints.

3) Muscle imbalance: Muscle weakness or tightness can influence the biomechanics of your stride and gait. As a result, the areas you place more weight on may change and increase the pressure on certain areas of the body like the shins.

4) Sports like dancing, running, soccer etc: Notably, these activities focus more on lower body movements that are high impact. Therefore, individuals who practice these sports may be more at risk for developing shin splints.

5) Flat Feet: Flat or pronated feet change the pull of muscles and weightbearing in the legs. As a result, this may create muscular imbalance and result in some muscles having to work harder, putting increased stress on them.

What are the signs and symptoms?

1) Dull, achy pain down the shin bone

2) Tender to the touch over the shin area, especially the inner portion

3) Swelling over the shin area

4) May experience redness on the lower leg after exercises

5) Exercise makes it worse while rest makes it better

How can shin splints be treated acutely?

Importantly, the RICE protocol is used often on sports injuries and works well on shin splints in the acute phase. RICE is an acronym that helps us remember what to do to treat our injuries.

1) Rest: Firstly, avoiding exercise for some time will allow muscles to recover and allow more efficient healing.

2) Icing: Secondly, icing on the shins will reduce inflammation, pain and swelling.

3) Compression: Additionally, compression bandages or braces can reduce stress on muscles and prevent pain.

4) Elevation: Finally, elevating the leg can help clear swelling and reduce inflammation from the leg.

How can shin splints be treated in the long term?

Physiotherapy is the first line of treatment for shin splints as it is a common sports injury. The following steps will help improve your pain.

Orthotics: Custom made insoles can correct the muscle imbalance and takes pressure off from overworked areas

Orthotics may help correct foot posture increase the risk of developing shin splints

Footwear: Proper runners or sports shoes are needed as a proper base of support to your ankle and leg. Then, this will help the muscles and joints absorb less pressure.

Stretching exercises: Ankle stretches will correct muscle length and after exercising, helps to clear byproducts of exercise that can make muscles sore. Eg. Calf stretch, soleus stretch, tibialis anterior stretch.

One example of a calf stretch, but many other effective methods may be used

Massage: Self-massage or massage therapy on tender spots and the surrounding muscles will help reduce inflammation and reduce areas of high muscular tension.

Strengthening exercises: Strengthening certain group of muscles can make them more resilient, correct imbalances, and prevent pain. Eg. Strengthening exercises of the calves, quads, and glutes can help correct this issue, especially in areas of weakness.

Looking for treatment? Look for PhysioNow!

If you are experiencing leg pain or shin splints, you can get treatment quickly! Here at PhysioNow, we have many expert Registered Physiotherapist to help, with locations across the GTA including Burlington, Oakville, Mississauga, and Etobicoke. Book with PhysioNow today for your first assessment and treatment!