Preventing Injury - Dynamic Sports Medicine

10 Tips to Prevent Teen Sports Injuries

Posted on November 15, 2019 by Admin

Being active in teen sports has many obvious benefits. Aside from improved stamina, strength, flexibility and coordination, youth and teen sports teaches valuable lessons in teamwork, leadership and time management, as well as offering numerous social and educational opportunities.

But along with participating in sports activities comes teen sports injuries, and while some sports are undeniably more dangerous than others, all have the potential for players to get hurt.

The most common teen sports injuries seen in emergency rooms nationwide are acute injuries like sprains, strains, concussions, and fractures. But since year-round participation in select sports became the norm, teen athletes are suffering from overuse injuries at a rate formerly reserved for much older people. Damage to a bones, muscles, ligaments, or tendons caused by repetitive movement tend to come on more subtly and occur over time, so players often play through increasing pain, but not at their optimal level.

Because teen sports injuries can lead to pain during activity, loss of playing time, and even classroom absences, it makes sense to do everything possible to prevent injuries from occurring in the first place. Fortunately there a number of preventative measures you can take to help ensure safe your teen’s participation in sports activities.

* Always warm up and cool down. Starting your workout at a lower intensity increases blood flow to muscles, preparing them for exercise and reducing risk of injury and post-workout soreness. Cooling down allows body temp and heart rate to gradually return normal.

* Incorporate strength training. Weight work — whether free weights or body weight exercises — helps condition the whole body by strengthening muscles, joints and connective tissues used in running, throwing and jumping. To keep muscle from getting tight and short, always go through full range of motion.

* Make flexibility a priority. Regular stretching keeps muscles long and supple for easier overall mobility and greater range of motion. When muscles can glide easily through necessary movements they’re much less likely to strain or tear.

* Practice proper technique. Natural talent with poor form may get impressive results in the short term, but over time results in increased risk for both chronic and acute injury.

* Use appropriate protective gear. Properly fitting helmets and pads dramatically lessen the impact from tackles and falls resulting in fewer injuries to head (brain,) neck and shoulder areas.

* Play multiple sports. This not only helps teens develop better all-around athletic skills, but prevents burnout in their sport of choice and reduces the likelihood of overuse injuries.

* Seek regular sports chiropractic. A chiropractic injury prevention approach includes a functional movement screening with additional sports-specific biomechanics analysis to identify and address deficits in range of motion, muscle strength and flexibility, body alignment and form.

* Pay attention to nutrition and hydration. Proper sports nutrition ensures still- growing teen bodies have adequate energy for optimal training, performance recovery.

* Seeks sports rehab when necessary. Whether a sidelining injury or just pain during activity, chiropractic sports rehab uses non-invasive treatments like myofascial release, pulsed energy technology and acoustic compression therapy, among others, to reduce pain and inflammation and speed healing.

* Rest and repair. Scheduled days off should be part of any effective athletic training program, particularly for high-level athletes. Rest and recovery allows the body time to replenish spent energy stores and repair and strengthen fatigued muscles and tissues.

Your teen athlete deserves every tool available to be the best he or she can be. Give us a call to discuss injury prevention and see how sports chiropractic can help optimize your player’s athletic performance.

BASELINE CONCUSSION TESTING: We recommend baseline concussion testing once a year. Call our office for more details about how to get your teen athlete’s baseline concussion test completed prior to starting sports this year.

Sport Chiropractic Care for Youth Sports Injuries

Posted on September 12, 2019 by Admin

Prompt Treatment is Key

Young athletes today, particularly those in high school, are pushed harder than ever to compete at elite levels, leading many of them to condition, train and play club sports all summer long. With school back in session, it should be a whole new ball game, but year ‘round play means many young athletes are heading onto high school fields and courts with bodies that never got the chance to rest and recover from previous seasons.

As a result, some are beginning their Fall seasons with youth sports injuries.

Rather than risk being sidelined, many young athletes choose to play through that pain, but this is a big mistake. The body uses pain signals as a message that something is wrong, and not addressing the pain can affect an athlete’s ability to perform at his or her best, or worse, leading to further damage.

Seeking sports chiropractic intervention as soon as possible after pain begins can not only keep minor injuries from advancing, but restore functional integrity and stability to the affected area making it even stronger than before.

The five most common youth sports injuries are sprains, strains, contusions, fractures and concussions. Sports chiropractors routinely treat cranial, spinal, and extremity contusions, subluxations, dislocations, and soft tissue trauma, providing prompt referrals when needed.

Concussions and fractures almost always require emergency care, while sprains, strains and contusions generally respond well to rest, ice, compression and elevation (RICE.) Following up both treatment scenarios with chiropractic sports rehab can reduce pain and speed healing, and can often coincide with sports play.

Our specialized knowledge of injury management allows us to use sports-specific biomechanics analyses to reveal deficits in an athlete’s range of motion, muscle strength and flexibility that may have contributed to the injury in the first place. Addressing these weaknesses, along with any possible misalignment issues helps get an athlete back in the game faster and reduces the likelihood of re-injury, especially with overuse/repetitive motion injuries.

Even when a treatment plan points to time off the field, everyone is better served when injuries are treated promptly and properly, allowing the athlete to recover before irreparable damage is done. Contact Dynamic Sports Medicine to discuss youth performance care for your young athlete. We are Austin’s best first choice to evaluate and treat youth sport injuries.

Certified Sports Chiropractor

Posted on June 30, 2019 by Admin

Eventually, any athlete that trains long enough or hard enough is bound to experience pain or injury. Those who prefer a drug-free and non-surgical approach to sports medicine are increasingly adding regular sports chiropractic care to their training programs to manage pain from a variety of common athletic injuries.

Sports-related injuries generally happen in one of two ways: Overuse or sudden trauma. Golf and tennis elbow, many back and shoulder injuries, and painful joint issues are overuse injuries — the result of repetitive motion over time. Acute injuries, on the other hand, happen all of a sudden through a fall, tackle, or especially quick movement at an odd angle or through constricted muscles or tissues, resulting in misalignment, strain, or other stress on the spine, joints, muscles, ligaments and/or nerves.

Certified sports chiropractors work to keep you balanced and aligned throughout your training so you can train more effectively and be ready to go on game or race day. They specialize in identifying postural imbalances and skeletal misalignments, as well as strength, balance and flexibility deficiencies, and then address them early utilizing a variety of non-invasive clinical interventions designed for injury prevention and faster recovery times than conventional methods. These can include:

Hands-on adjustments to the spine and extremities to correct the damage done during workouts and to relieve associated pain.
Myofascial massage to free up constricted fascia and allow for a greater range of motion.
Dry needling, cupping, and acupuncture to relax affected muscles and release deep muscle tension allowing for more effective hands-on manipulation.
Electrical stimulation to release surface tension of the muscle and aid in muscle recovery.
A host of handheld devices designed to assist in targeted adjustments to the back and lower extremities, soft tissue manipulation, and other patient rehabs.
Specific stretching exercises designed to increase strength, flexibility, and range of motion in the area surrounding the pain or injury.
Chiropractic care for athletes is about more than diagnosing an injury and referring you to a physical therapist for cookie cutter rehab. It is a hands-on approach to total body alignment with any needed corrective therapy done in the office.

Studies show that using a sports chiropractor is not only better at reducing healing time for existing pain in athletes than other more traditional approaches, it is also a valuable tool for preventing injuries and boosting athletic performance. Yes, it can actually make you a better athlete! That’s because sports chiropractic care isn’t just for treating injured athletes, it is for achieving optimal total body functionality.

Like athletic training methods, sports medicine is constantly evolving. See why more professional and amateur athletes alike are relying on regular sports chiropractic care. Call Dynamic Sports Medicine for a consultation.

Youth Sports Concussion Management

Posted on February 25, 2019 by Admin

More Than Football Players at Risk

Recent research conducted by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons shows that in spite of football being the sport most commonly associated with concussions, it actually falls fourth on the list of sports resulting in concussions as a percentage of total injuries. Girls’ soccer, volleyball and basketball rank higher.

And while concussions continue to plague male-dominated sports, those among female athletes have risen dramatically, due to both a lack of protective equipment available for girls-only sports and an increased emphasis on physical play.

Make no mistake, football still results in a high number of concussive events, however, girls and boys’ high school soccer is responsible for more of the serious concussions, based on recovery times being longer — often more than 22 days. The repeated striking of the player’s head against a hard ball along with player collisions among athletes wearing no head protection is thought to be to blame.

Ice Hockey, rising in popularity in our area, has also become a sport of growing concern surrounding concussions.

Snow Sports

Off the playing field, Texans routinely travel this time of year to take advantage of a wintry mix of cold-weather sporting opportunities. Athlete or not, snow skiing and snowboarding pose a fairly high risk of concussions and other injuries. On-slope collisions with skiers and other objects, as well as hard falls against packed ice account for many trips to mountainside ERs.

Helmet use in snow sports has increased over the last decade, but while research confirms that they do offer skiers and snowboarders added protection from head injury, helmets are more successful at preventing skull fractures, gashes, and bruises than concussions.

This information isn’t to discourage participating in wintertime youth sports since staying active during the colder months can prevent unwanted weight gain and help fight depression and anxiety. Just remember that the risk of sports-related concussions and other head injuries has no off-season.

Proactive concussion management includes having a baseline concussion test. As with other baseline tests, this computerized assessment of player response and brain function gives doctors a point of comparison following a head injury and helps them establish a more personalized treatment plan.

If you suspect your young athlete may have suffered a concussion, immediate treatment is best. Contact us for concussion management and to discuss ways to prevent concussion in your young athlete.

Sports Medicine Doctor

Posted on November 10, 2018 by Admin

The Difference in Sports Medicine Doctors

Chiropractic vs. Conventional Medicine

Whether teen, recreational or professional, athletes of all levels experience injury at one time or another. While some sports injuries are acute and others the result of overuse, the trick is getting the proper treatment quickly to help you heal and be back in the game in the most efficient way possible.

Both chiropractors and conventional medical doctors practice sports medicine, and both can conduct thorough examinations, and order Xrays and MRIs to diagnose injuries. It’s their treatment approaches that are often radically different.

Sports chiropractors

Sports chiropractors use a holistic approach to treating sports injuries by focusing on the manipulation of the spine and various other joints, as well as soft tissue mobilization in the affected area. This increases mobility and relieves undue stress on certain joints, offering patients immediate pain relief and long-term curative effects. Other common treatments used in chiropractic sports rehabilitation include targeted red laser therapy to reduce inflammation, electrical stimulation, and specific exercises aimed at improved mobility and strength in the injured area.

Conventional Medicine

Sports medical doctors treat sports injuries by prescribing rest, physical therapy, or more invasive techniques such as pain medication and even surgery. While these may be necessary in emergency situations such as when a bone is broken or other severe cases, most sports injuries can be healed with the more hands-on, non-invasive approach of a sports chiropractor and without the use of prescription drugs.

Cause of Injury

Aside from utilizing more-natural, less-invasive procedures, chiropractors are as focused on the cause of the problem as much as they are the problem itself. While you may think you know what caused your injury — your elbow hurts because you play too much tennis, for example — there could actually be a posture/alignment issue or soft tissue restriction affecting strength, balance, flexibility or mobility in that area that led to the condition.

In addition, many chronic injuries are due to other lifestyle factors such as obesity, stress or nutrient deficiencies. Sports chiropractors can address those areas as well, with the intention of treating the cause of your problem, and not just the symptoms. With this approach, chiropractors have great success in not only the treatment of existing sports injuries but in helping patients return to their sports pain-free with reduced risk of re-injury.

If you are seeking pain relief from a sports injury that is not an emergency, consider chiropractic as your first choice in a sports medicine doctor.

Most Common Golf and Tennis Injuries

Posted on October 12, 2018 by Admin

Golf and tennis are popular sporting activities for people of all ages. Practically lifelong sports, they both offer great ways to stay both physically and socially active well into retirement. But even though they are less high impact than many other physical pursuits, there is still plenty of possibility for injury. In fact, players of both commonly complain of pain or injury in their elbows, shoulders, backs and knees.

Elbows

Golf and tennis elbow are repetitive use injuries that occur over time. The pain is usually so mild in the beginning that players often ignore it, only to have it eventually become severe enough they can no longer play. While tennis elbow technically refers to pain and inflammation in the outer tendon, and golf elbow to the inner tendon, many golfers get tennis elbow, and vice versa.

Back

Ranging from dull aches to sharp, shooting pains, back issues are another complaint common to players of both sports. Frequently hunching over and/or applying repeated rotational stress can result in muscle strains or tears and even stress fractures. Though not painful all the time, pain from stress fractures may increase with activity.

Shoulder

Whether shoulder impingement syndrome — common with repetitive overhead sports — or a rotator cuff tear, injuries to the shoulder can happen over time or result from acute injury and be the cause of major pain, tenderness and lack of mobility and strength when attempting to lift or use the arm. You might even be aware of snapping and crackling noises when engaging shoulder muscles.

Knee

Frequent bending, twisting, kneeling and jumping on court and course only aggravates age-associated wear and tear on the knee joint. In golf, it usually results from the improper form when teeing off as one or both knees experiences too much torque. In tennis, excessive strain on the patellar tendon results in numerous microscopic but painful tears. Not only does this interfere with game time, but it can also cause pain when bending the knee in daily life as well.

Prevention

To prevent injury, it’s important to adequately stretch and strengthen the major muscles involved in your sport prior to play, to have the right shoes and other equipment, as well to practice to proper technique. Meeting with a golf or tennis pro to have your technique evaluated is a great idea, as is visiting a sports chiropractor who can analyze posture and muscle imbalances that might be affecting play.

Through chiropractic adjustments, massage and innovative sports rehab tools many sports injuries can be prevented and existing ones encouraged to heal. One of my favorite rehab tools is the FreezeSleeve, a revolutionary cold therapy garment used to reduce swelling, inflammation and soreness in joints and muscles. It can be worn as a cold compression sleeve on elbows or knees, or flat against shoulder and back areas.

The sooner you seek treatment for sports-related pain, the better. As a sports chiropractor, my goal is to lower your risk of injury while optimizing your performance to keep you playing the sport you love.

Preventing Sports Injuries in Student Athletes

Posted on July 31, 2018 by Admin

Preparing Your Body For Back-to-School Athletics

Summer is winding down and many student athletes and prospective student athletes are gearing up for team tryouts and the upcoming season. If you’re serious about your sport, then hopefully you’ve had these tryouts in mind during your school break and remained fairly active and in shape this summer. The last thing you want to do is experience a sports injury during tryouts and miss a potentially exciting season.

If you haven’t been active, the time to start conditioning is now. You not only need a grasp of the fundamentals for your particular sport, you’ll also need flexibility, stamina, and strength to play at your best. Running/jogging or other cardio work, combined with strength training activities like sit-ups, push-ups, pull-ups, squats and weight work several times a week are recommended. It’s important to use the right technique not only to achieve the best results, but to prevent pre-season sports injuries to knees, back and shoulders. If you’re unsure of how to properly do any exercises, work with someone who can instruct you on correct technique.

Flexibility is also important in allowing for ease of movement and preventing sports injuries. Stretch while warming up before your workout, as well as afterwards, to reduce the potential for post-workout cramps and soreness, and to aid in muscle recovery. While stretching may not seem like a priority, the best slo-mo sports replays often involve a receiver’s impressive stretch for the catch, or a second baseman’s unbelievable lunge to the tag, feats that look effortless due to an athlete’s flexibility.

Soreness after a particularly hard workout is not only normal, it’s desirable when building muscle. Damaged muscles do need time to recover, however, so work different muscle groups each day, to give them a break. Sharp or excessive pain should not be ignored, however. You could have a sprain, strain or stress fracture that needs rest or attention.

When preparing the body for ongoing physical exertion, proper nutrition is vital both for fueling workouts and recovering afterwards. Light, nutrient-dense whole grain, complex carbohydrates make great pre-workout fuel because they’re easily digestible and ensure a long-lasting stream of energy, while anti-inflammatory diets high in protein and omega-3 fatty acids reduce soreness and shorten recovery time. Chicken, fish, nuts, seeds and leafy greens are all great after going all out on the track, field or court.

Another factor that cannot be underestimated is the importance of hydration, particularly in the Texas heat. Football two-a-days, soccer practice and other sports conditioning programs often happen out-of-doors during the hottest part of the year. If you’re not used to it — and even if you are — it’s easy to become dehydrated. Most sports programs supply water for player use, so make sure to drink it. When it’s really hot, sports drinks or other electrolyte beverages are even better. It’s important to hydrate before, during and after exercise to help your body recover.

The start of school is an exciting and stressful time for high school athletes. Along with helping you achieve your sports and fitness goals, we aim to help keep you in the game with a safe season free of sports injuries.