Fall Sports Bring on Fall Injuries-We've Got You Covered!
It’s that time of year again, fall is here! That means school sports are starting up
again and with an increase in activity comes an increase in injuries. Some injuries may be caused by a collision or
may be caused by overuse, and some are more serious than others. But what are
some of these injuries and what can a physical therapist do to help?
One of the most common injuries seen during preseason or
through overuse during a season is Achilles tendonitis or heel pain. The NFL
performed a study that found that Achilles tendonitis is the most prevalent
injury amongst players, noting that 33% of these injuries occur during
preseason. A physical therapist can help teach the athlete how to properly
stretch the muscles that insert into the Achilles tendon and strengthen the
muscle surrounding it in a safe way.
Additionally, we can perform hands on techniques to help reduce the
inflammation.
Knee pain comes in
second for most prevalent injury in fall athletes. Most fall sports are played
on grass or turf, which can be uneven or slippery when wet. Some of these
conditions or a collision can cause knee pain or potential ligament tears. A
physical therapist can work to reduce the symptoms and strengthen the
surrounding joints to allow for better mechanics while running on those
surfaces.
These injuries may take athletes out of the game for days to
weeks due to pain. However, one of the
best parts (in my opinion) of coming to PTW is access to some of the newest
technology. PTW offers 5 Alter G treadmills
that these athletes can use to stay active. As I have been recovering from an
ankle injury, it has helped me be able to continue to run but without the full
impact or pain that I was experiencing while running on the road.
If you have any questions regarding an injury, PTW offers
free 15 minute consultations to see if someone would benefit from therapy.
Please contact your local PTW office to find out more.
PTW’s Lauren Nederostek, DPT is a Staff Physical Therapist at our Montgomeryville clinic. For an initial evaluation, call Lauren at 215 855 1160 today for an appointment today or tomorrow!
