Sports injuries and treatment

A sporting injury can be sustained from a single event or repetitive over-use. The former is an acute injury whereas, repetitive over-use injuries are generally chronic.

Treatment approaches and the nature of tissue injury are both similar and variable.

Acute sport injury

The first line of defence is first aid, i.e. R.I.C.E. (rest-ice-compression-elevation). The second action is differential diagnosis, i.e. Grade or type of muscle / ligament / joint tear – damage, neuro-vascular or orthopaedic complication, head injury etc.

In some cases, the acute sport injury can be managed in a clinical practice environment, e.g. Chiropractic, Physiotherapy or Osteopathic practice, however, the health professional must be skilled to know when and who to refer. Some health professionals have further training in sports medicine, e.g. the Sports Chiropractor. [1]

Chronic sport injury

The absence of a single, identifiable traumatic cause has been traditionally used as a definition for a causative factor of overuse injury. Excessive loading, insufficient recovery, and under-preparedness can increase injury risk by exposing athletes to relatively large changes in load.’ [2]

Interestingly, chronic under-use can also pre-dispose to injury. [2]

The Chiropractor or other suitably qualified health professional is more likely to see chronic sport injuries.

The chronic patient has likely already had medical interventions and examinations, e.g. radiology, ultra-sonagraphy, Doppler etc. to help rule out serious complications.

This patient has probably been suffering for months, maybe years significantly disruptive activities of daily living and quality of life.

Tendinopathy is the term hypothesised to occur in response to chronic, inflammation effecting the tendon results from inflammatory changes, i.e. tendinitis or tendonitis. [2,3]

It is also possible to suffer a ‘stress fracture’ [2] due to sustained over-loading of a muscle and joint.

Managing a chronic sport injury

Chronic sports injury related to tendinopathy can be difficult to manage although strength training has shown efficacy in Rehabilitation programmes. The latter is thought to fall, short however, when it comes to re-training the, muscles also referred to as neuro-plasticity. [4]

The spine also plays an essential role in the contribution toward athletic performance. [5] The sports chiropractor is-well placed to manage spinal joint dysfunction considerations.

Other treatment options include various treatment approaches:

       1. Photobiomodulation with low-level laser therapy, e.g. in the treatment of Achilles                      tendonitis [6].

1. Shockwave therapy is appropriate for both acute and chronic, sports injuries helping repair and manage calcification from scarring [7].
2. Microcurrent (EMS – electrical muscle stimulation) involves specific electro-current application to the, effected body part helping tissues heal faster and providing pain relief [8].
3. Interferentialelectro-current (EMS) is also effective for various musculoskeletal injuries. At Cranbourne Family Chiropractic and Wellness Centre I have found this modality beneficial for managing swelling, muscle spasm and joint pain.
4. TENS (trans-cutaneous neuro-stimulation - EMS) is a home-based treatment helping relieve pain for some chronic sports injuries and may also help re-strengthen muscles [9].
5. Proprioceptive neuro-muscular facilitation (PNF) involves re-training the muscle to resolve normal muscle length and functioning. [10]
6. Percussive treatment. Mechanical percussion may assist in restoring normal blood flow and muscle functioning. [11]

How long will it take to resolve a sports injury?

Acute injuries may take 3-6 weeks to resolve. Chronic injuries may take months and sometimes more than a year.

In conclusion, there are many more ways to manage sports injuries. What’s important is to get the right diagnosis and management, plan preferably sooner than later and secondly, to implement a home-based rehabilitation program guided by an experienced health professional. If you don’t know any chiropractor, ask you GP for a reference or google “chiropractor near me” and make an appointment before it’s too late.

REFERENCES:

 [1] https://www.jsams.org/article/S1440-2440(17)31283-5/fulltext

 [2] https://josr-online.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13018-018-1017-5

 [3] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28619548/

 [4] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26407586/

 [5] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19945590/

 [6] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32204620/

 [7] https://nssmc.com.au/about/interventions/shockwave-therapy/

 [8] https://www.newheightstherapy.com/microcurrent/

 [9] https://www.tensmachinepro.com/tens-machine-for-sports/

 [10] https://www.osmifw.com/sports-medicine/benefits-of-pnf-stretching/

 [11] http://fortitudesportstherapy.com/percussive-therapy/