Injury Treatment

A growing body of evidence suggests that psychological factors play an important role in determining whether an athlete makes a successful return to sport following injury. Physical therapist Keith Cronin, DPT, OCS, CSCS, says it is important for parents to support an injured athlete but to empower, not coddle them during the rehabilitation process.

In recent years, platelet-rich-plasma (PRP) injections have been used to treat a variety of sports injuries, ranging from severe tendonitis to muscle tears, but there is an ongoing debate among sports medicine doctors as to its effectiveness, especially given its cost. We explore both sides of the controversy.

Many young athletes, particularly females, suffer from chronic knee pain. Pain becomes common with running, jumping, and, with later progression, even a flight of stairs. Sometimes this condition is associated with Patellar Instability, a combination of structural abnormalities and maltraking of the kneecap. Sometimes, surgery may be necessary.

The most important way to reduce the short- and long-term affects of poorly positioned kneecaps (patellofemoral dysfunction) is early intervention: physical therapy to strengthen the quad, teach stretching exercises, and guide appropriate biomechanics. Allowing knee pain to persist only decreases the potential for return to pain free sport.

While physical therapists assess readiness of an athlete to return to sports after ACL reconstructive surgery in a variety of ways, research suggests that performance on a series of single leg hopping tests is a good yardstick.

Physical therapy can help reduce debilitating knee pain from Patellofemoral Syndrome, a condition most commonly seen in female athletes.

Swelling is common after many types of sports injuries, and is actually one of the ways the body protects an injured area against further damage in the immediate aftermath of an injury. The combination of restricted motion, pain, and generally ill feeling will likely take an athlete off the playing field, and, sometimes, on to a physical therapist's treatment table.

There are significant differences between post-surgical and non surgical rehabilitation after a sports injury.