Prevention of Football Injuries

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Article featured on Summit Orthopedics

When you hear the term “football injury,” the first thing to come to mind may be an on-field collision, fall, or other split-second traumatic injury. But in fact, there are many muscle and tendon injuries football players face that are overuse injuries that happen over time. However, there are ways to prevent football injuries like these.

“Our bodies are designed to work anatomically in several ways, and our bodies are also wonderful compensation machines,” Dr. Williams explained. “That means your body is great at using short-term strategies to avoid or prevent some kind of injury, usually without your even realizing it. The problem is, those strategies can be problematic in the long run, since they can lead to overuse injuries.”

How to prevent football injuries

Focus on proper biomechanics

Everything is connected, and if your body’s mechanics are out of alignment in one area, it can cause injury elsewhere. For example, “Core and hip stabilization is key to preventing knee and ankle injury, and scapular thoracic stabilization is critical to preventing shoulder injury,” Dr. Williams said. Talk with a sports medicine specialist about evaluating and correcting ongoing biomechanical issues.

Get enough rest

Fatigue is more than just feeling tired after two-a-day. It’s a deeper sense that your body’s resources are depleted, which can slow down recovery and healing. When you’re working hard on the practice field, prioritize rest off the field to help your body cope.

Warm up right

Avoid prolonged stretching of cold muscles before a workout. That outdated idea can actually increase injury risk. Instead, do some dynamic warm-ups, light versions of the activity you’ll be doing. You could start with a slow jog, followed by throwing and catching the football.

Strengthen that core

A strong core sets the stage for proper form from head to toe, because the core muscles stabilize the limbs. Remember, the core is not just the back and abdominal muscles at the surface. It’s also little-used muscles deep within the torso and abdomen that need attention.

Stay hydrated

Hydration is the foundation on which the rest of the workout is built. Being dehydrated can reduce performance, leading athletes to push themselves too hard and increasing injury risk. Talk with your sports medicine provider, your coaches, and your trainer about how to assess your hydration each day.

Don’t overtrain

When it comes to an intense sport like football, the pressure to overtrain can be huge. But more is not always more. Pushing yourself too hard can lead to exhaustion and poor form, making overuse injuries worse or increasing your risk of a new injury. Make sure your body has the time it needs to fuel up, hydrate, and rest to promote recovery. Your performance will be stronger in the long run.

The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, foot and ankle conditions, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.

Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.

Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.

If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic and podiatric surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.

Phone:

503-224-8399

Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209

Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm

How Can I Prevent Common Exercise Injuries?

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The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, foot and ankle conditions, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.

Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.

Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.

If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic and podiatric surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.

Phone:

503-224-8399

Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209

Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm

Common Overuse Injuries in Fall Sports

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Article featured on TheCenter

Fall sports are here and with that comes overuse injuries and burnout especially in adolescent athletes. An overuse injury develops slowly over time due to repetitive stress on tendons, muscles, bones, or joints. It is important to be aware and pay attention to any minor aches and pains to prevent a more serious injury down the road. Here are a few of the most common overuse injuries during the fall season.

SHIN SPLINTS

Shin splints are an inflammation of the muscles, tendons, and bone tissue around your shinbone (tibia). Typically, this develops when the muscle and bone tissue become overworked by repetitive or sudden change in activity, such as increasing the intensity or amount that you exercise. Runners are at the highest risk for developing shin splints.

It might be time to take a break and rest if you start to experience these symptoms:

  • Sharp, dull, or throbbing pain
  • Pain during and after exercise
  • Sore to touch and mild swelling

Sometimes, other problems exist that can have an impact on healing. If the pain persists, contact one of our orthopedic surgeons for an examination.

PLANTAR FASCIITIS

Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of foot pain, radiating from the bottom of the heel throughout the foot. The plantar fascia is the strong band of tissue in the arch of your foot that runs from your heel to toe, and absorbs strains and stress placed on the foot each time it is in use. Plantar fasciitis occurs when that supporting tissue becomes irritated and inflamed.

Common causes and risk factors include:

Tight calf muscles
Repetitive activity (sports/running)
New or increased activity
Obesity
Diagnosis and treatment are important with this painful condition and healing can begin quickly once diagnosed. Your doctor will most likely recommend rest and possibly frequent icing on the area. Anti-inflammatories may also help symptoms subside combined with light stretching of your feet and calves. If pain continues to linger, your orthopedic surgeon may recommend a partial release procedure.

ACHILLES TENDINITIS

The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in the body, connecting the calf muscles to the heel bone. Although it can withstand a lot of stress, it is also prone to tendinitis, which is when the tendon becomes inflamed causing swelling, pain, or irritation. This condition is caused by repetitive stress to the tendon, such as pushing our bodies too far or too soon from walking, running, jumping, etc.

Common symptoms of Achilles Tendinitis include:

  • Pain on the back of the heel that worsens with activity
  • Pain or stiffness along the tendon in the morning
  • Pain the day after exercising
  • Swelling

The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, foot and ankle conditions, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.

Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.

Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.

If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic and podiatric surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.

Phone:

503-224-8399

Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209

Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm

How to Prevent Football Injuries

in ,
When you hear the term “football injury,” the first thing to come to mind may be an on-field collision, fall, or other split-second traumatic injury. But in fact, there are many muscle and tendon injuries football players face that are overuse injuries that happen over time. However, there are ways to prevent football injuries like these.“Our bodies are designed to work anatomically in a number of ways, and our bodies are also wonderful compensation machines,” Dr. Williams explained. “That means your body is great at using short-term strategies to avoid or prevent some kind of injury, usually without your even realizing it. The problem is, those strategies can be problematic in the long run, since they can lead to overuse injuries.”

How to prevent football injuries

Focus on proper biomechanics

– Everything is connected, and if your body’s mechanics are out of alignment in one area, it can cause injury elsewhere. For example, “Core and hip stabilization is key to preventing knee and ankle injury, and scapular thoracic stabilization is critical to preventing shoulder injury,” Dr. Williams said. Talk with a sports medicine specialist about evaluating and correcting ongoing biomechanical issues.

Get enough rest

Fatigue is more than just feeling tired after a two-a-day. It’s a deeper sense that your body’s resources are depleted, which can slow down recovery and healing. When you’re working hard on the practice field, prioritize rest off the field to help your body cope.

Warm up right

Avoid prolonged stretching of cold muscles before a workout. That outdated idea can actually increase injury risk. Instead, do some dynamic warm-ups, light versions of the activity you’ll be doing. You could start with a slow jog, followed by throwing and catching the football.

Strengthen that core

A strong core sets the stage for proper form from head to toe, because the core muscles stabilize the limbs. Remember, the core is not just the back and abdominal muscles at the surface. It’s also little-used muscles deep within the torso and abdomen that need attention.

Stay hydrated

Hydration is the foundation on which the rest of the workout is built. Being dehydrated can reduce performance, leading athletes to push themselves too hard and increasing injury risk. Talk with your sports medicine provider, your coaches, and your trainer about how to assess your hydration each day.

Don’t overtrain

When it comes to an intense sport like football, the pressure to overtrain can be huge. But more is not always more. Pushing yourself too hard can lead to exhaustion and poor form, making overuse injuries worse or increasing your risk of a new injury. Make sure your body has the time it needs to fuel up, hydrate, and rest to promote recovery. Your performance will be stronger in the long run.

The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, foot and ankle conditions, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.

Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.

Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.

If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic and podiatric surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.

Phone:

503-224-8399

Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209

Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm

Common Pickle Ball Wrist Injuries

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Do you experience a dull and aching pain or soreness in your wrist during or after playing racket or paddle sports? Does your wrist feel stiff when reaching for low balls or flicking your wrist for those difficult and awkward shots? If you answered yes and your symptoms are located on the “pinky” side of your paddle wrist, then you have ulnar-sided wrist pain. Pain in this region can be anything from wrist arthritis, tendon irritation, joint instability, or triangular fibrocartilage (TFCC) injury. Ulnar-sided wrist pain can be uncomfortable and persist if left untreated, but early treatment can significantly reduce pain and discomfort. Common athlete complaints include:

  • stiffness
  • clicking or snapping sensation
  • local swelling
  • pain.

Typically, symptoms increase when gripping a racket/paddle, twisting your wrist, and rotating your forearm. There are several structures, including ligaments, nerves, and tendons, especially on the small finger side of your wrist that can be injured from repetitive use in awkward positions, or from direct trauma, such as a fall onto the hand. Early diagnosis is critical to assess which structures are involved to provide athletes with the optimal course of treatment. Your physician will assess your pain symptoms, joints/ligaments and stability via clinical exam, X-rays and/or MRI. Medical management varies depending on severity, structures injured and other medical history concerns.

Often, with recreational and novice tennis and Pickle ball athletes, there is evidence of muscular weakness in the shoulder blade, shoulder rotator cuff, upper arm muscles, and forearm. Weakness in these areas often lead to using your wrist and hand in less stable positions causing increased force through the ulnar side of the wrist.

I have these symptoms, now what?

If you find you have wrist pain while playing sports or completing daily activities, an evaluation by a physician is necessary to rule out any underlying medical conditions. From there, a proper course of treatment could help to address your symptoms.

How will hand therapy help me?

Referral to a Certified Hand Therapist (CHT) can assist in the assessment of your core strength/posture, shoulder/elbow/forearm/wrist flexibility and strength. Using a variety of special tests and assessment techniques, your hand therapist can prescribe neuromuscular exercises, proper splints to support your wrist, core strengthening, flexibility exercises, and joint protection strategies to reduce pain and get you back on the court safely and efficiently.

The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, foot and ankle conditions, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.

Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.

Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.

If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic and podiatric surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.

Phone:

503-224-8399

Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209

Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm

Preventing Injuries While Golfing

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Golf is a popular sport and offers a range of health benefits. Regular golf can help improve stamina, cardiovascular fitness and muscular endurance. For example, the average golfer playing an 18-hole game walks about seven kilometers. While the risk of injury from playing golf is low compared to other sports, common golf injuries include injuries to the lower back, shoulder, elbow, wrist, head and eye.

Risk factors for golfing injuries

Some of the factors that can increase your risk of a golfing injury include:

  • Time spent playing – generally, the more often you play, the higher your risk of injury. Golfers who spend more than six hours per week in competitive play are at increased risk of overuse injuries, as are professional golfers.
  • Unsupervised children – injuries to children under the age of 10 years are often the result of inadequate adult supervision (for example, children getting hit in the face by swinging clubs).
  • Incorrect technique – examples include poor swing style and hitting the ground instead of the ball. Incorrect technique dramatically increases the risk of injury. Golfers who perform correct technique are less likely to injure themselves.
  • Failure to warm up and cool down – warming up and cooling down are extremely important to reduce the risk of muscle and joint injuries.
  • Previous injury – golf can aggravate existing injuries.

Health and safety suggestions for golf

Suggestions include:

  • Make sure equipment, such as clubs and shoes, are professionally fitted.
  • Be SunSmart. Wear sun protective clothing, use SPF30+ (or higher) sunscreen and lip balm, wear an appropriate hat, seek shade where possible and wear sunglasses.
  • Insect repellent should be carried in your golf bag at all times.
  • Drink non-alcoholic fluids before, during and after the game. Take drinks with you in your golf bag to avoid dehydration during play.
  • Practice the rules and etiquette of the game. For example, make sure that no one is standing too close when you’re about to swing, and always call out ‘fore’ to warn others if your shot appears to be heading in their direction.
  • Obey all safety instructions when driving a motorized golf cart.
  • Postpone play if lightning strikes are possible.
  • Avoid placing hands in holes or areas where spiders or snakes might inhabit.
  • Supervise young children on the golf course at all times. For example, make sure they don’t stand too close when someone is teeing off and don’t allow them to fool around with golf clubs.
  • Get adequate rest between games.
  • Carry a mobile phone, wherever possible, in case of emergency.

Warming up before playing golf

Muscle strains and sprains are more likely to occur if you fail to warm up properly before play. A study of golfers undertaken by the Sports Injury Prevention Unit at Deakin University in Victoria found that less than three per cent of Victorian golfers warm up properly, while nearly half don’t warm up at all.

Suggestions include:

  • Walk briskly for a couple of minutes to raise your heart rate.
  • Warm up your neck and upper back by dropping your chin to your chest, gently rolling your head from side to side in slow half-circles.
  • Warm up your shoulders. Hold a golf club horizontal to the ground, keeping your hands about shoulder width apart. Slowly raise the club overhead, hold for a few moments and then lower. Hold the golf club in a similar way, but this time behind your back. Raise as high as you can, hold for a few moments, then lower.
  • Warm up your torso with side bends. Slide your hand down your leg to support the weight of your torso.
  • Twist through the waist – gently and slowly turn from one side to the other.
  • Go through the motions of swinging the club without actually hitting a ball. Begin with gentle half swings and work up to full swings over the course of a few minutes.

Cool down after the activity. Use the same range of stretches suggested above.

Take care of your back

Suggestions include:

  • Consider using a buggy to transport your clubs, or carry clubs using a supportive carry brace.
  • Carry out a general strength and fitness program that includes weight training or aerobic activities, such as walking or jogging, to improve muscle strength, flexibility and endurance.
  • Strengthen abdominal muscles to support your lower back. A Canadian study found that golfers with strong side abdominal muscles (obliques) have a reduced incidence of back pain.
  • Consider taking lessons with a PGA qualified coach to improve your technique to prevent injury and improve performance.

Suggestions include:

  • Don’t engage in long practice sessions, particularly if you are practicing the one shot over and over.
  • If you are practicing your putting, make sure you straighten up and stretch regularly.
  • Remember to bend your knees when picking up balls. Lift one leg off the ground as you lean over to counterbalance your weight.
  • Try not to use more force than is necessary for the swing, especially in the ‘follow through’ motion after the ball has been hit.

Treat a golfing injury promptly

Suggestions on what to do if you are injured include:

  • Stop immediately if injury occurs. Playing on will only exacerbate the injury.
  • All injured players, regardless of how severe the injury is, should seek first aid or prompt medical treatment of their injury.
  • Treat all soft tissue injures (ligament sprains, muscle strains, bumps and bruises) with rest, ice, compression, elevation (raise the injured limb above your heart) and referral to a health professional.
  • Injured golfers should not resume play until they have completely recovered from their injury.

Where to get help

  • Your doctor
  • Professional Golf Association coach
  • Physiotherapist

Things to remember

  • Common golf injuries include injury to the lower back, shoulder, elbow, wrist, head and eye.
  • Warm up thoroughly before play to reduce your risk of muscle and joint injuries.
  • Remember to bend your knees when picking up balls. Lift one leg off the ground as you lean over to counterbalance your weight.
  • Take golf lessons to improve your technique.

The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, foot and ankle conditions, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.

Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.

Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.

If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic and podiatric surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.

Phone:

503-224-8399

Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209

Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm

Baseball Season is Here: Watch out for UCL Tears

in , ,

The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, foot and ankle conditions, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.

Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.

Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.

If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic and podiatric surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.

Phone:

503-224-8399

Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209

Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm

Common Bicycling Safety Training & Injuries

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The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, foot and ankle conditions, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.

Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.

Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.

If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic and podiatric surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.

Phone:

503-224-8399

Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209

Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm

Chronic vs. Acute Sports Injuries

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The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, foot and ankle conditions, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.

Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.

Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.

If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic and podiatric surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.

Phone:

503-224-8399

Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209

Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm

What is Little League Elbow?

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Article featured on Nationwide Children’s

Little league elbow is a painful inflammation of the bony bump on the inside of the elbow.

This spot is the attachment site where the tendons of the muscles that bend your wrist and fingers are located.

The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, foot and ankle conditions, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.

Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.

Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.

If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic and podiatric surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.

Phone:

503-224-8399

Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209

Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm