Common Injuries
From injury prevention to diagnosis and treatment, the Mark Roe Sports Physio Academy Sheffield offers the complete service for all your sports injuries.
Achilles Tendon Rupture. Although the exact cause of rupture of the Achilles tendon is often not known, it is thought that tight or weak calf muscles may be the cause. Correct stretching and strengthening will help prevent, and aid recovery. Severe rupture may result in the limb being immobilised in a cast. Rehabilitation can take several months.
Ankle Sprains. One of the most common sports injuries happens when players ‘go over’ on their ankles. This causes a stretching and tearing of the ligaments at the ankle. See our self treatment section to aid early recovery. Often, people thing they have recovered and do not work on proprioceptive exercises after injury, and this is why some people are prone to recurrent injuries of the ankle. There is more information at the bottom of the page specific to ankle ligament injuries.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament(ACL) Injury. The ACL is one of the supporting ligaments inside the knee. The cause is often due to an athlete changing direction rapidly then twists without moving the feet, slows down abruptly, or gets tackled from the side/back of the leg. If the ligament is completely ruptured, this will result in an operation to repair it. If it is a partial tear, rehab alone may be sufficient. Often when the ligament is torn, there can be associated damage to the medial ligament and meniscus (cartilage) of the knee.
ACL Rehab sessions with Lee are now available at our Hillsborough Clinic. Call 0114 2336309 to make further enquiries or make a booking.
Blisters. One of the biggest nightmares for any athlete. Make sure your footwear is the correct size and your socks are clean. Don’t burst the blister as you may pick up an infection. It’s sometimes a good idea to pad round it, or put petroleum jelly in your shoe to reduce friction. Avoid buying new shoes to wear to a race. Make sure you wear them in for a few weeks before race day!
Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). This is the reason why we ache after exercise. The muscle pain, stiffness and soreness occurs 24-48 hours after unaccustomed, or intense exercise. Static stretching after exercise can help to ease this, and try to work up to intense exercise rather than just going all out. Sports massage can also help. Also try to avoid hot baths directly after a hard work out.
Golfers Elbow (Medial Epicondilitis). This is elbow pain which gives discomfort on the inside of the elbow. It is caused by a cumulative trauma injury that occurs over time from repeated use of the muscles of the arm and forearm that lead to small tears of the tendons. It can also be caused by grip problems, so it is a good idea to seek the advice of a golf pro, or speak to our physiotherapists for advice.
Knee Pain. Knee pain is another very common complaint in sportspeople. There can be many causes from, tight or weak muscles, internal derangements of the knee, osteoarthritis, or even unknown hip or ankle problems causing an altered running position. It is important to seek the advice of your expert to give an accurate diagnosis, in order to start the correct treatment. Our physios will assess your movement and offer a reason why you are getting pain.
Iliotibial Band (ITB) Syndrome. Knee pain or hip pain on the outside of the leg, can be caused by tightness of the IT Band. Foam rolling and stretching can help settle the symptoms. It's also worth getting our physiotherapists to assess your movement to give you a preventative exercise programme.
Ligament Sprains. As with ankle sprains (mentioned above), these injuries to the ligaments which support joints, vary in severity but usually result in pain, swelling, bruising, and loss of the ability to move and use the joint. Follow our self treatment section to deal with the problem in the first few days.
Muscle Cramp. A cramp is a sudden, tight and intense pain caused by a muscle which spasms. It can be very painful when the muscle does not relax. Again there can be several causes related to fluid intake, levels of salt in the diet, tight, muscles, tight sock ties, or even referred pain from your lower back. Our therapists can assess and give you a diagnosis as to why you may be getting cramps.
Muscle Pulls. Pulls are very common in many sports. The main areas are the hamstring and calf muscles at the back of the leg, or thigh muscles at the front. It is important to warm muscles up before exercise, and keep them flexible. Don't forget nutrition and hydration also play a big part in the performance of a muscle too. It is important to treat the muscles well in the first few days after injury, so follow our self treatment guide to aid early recovery. Occasionally, some injuries feel like a muscle pull, but are in fact due to tight nerves coming from the lower back or neck.
Plantar Fasciitis. If you are getting pain on the first steps in the morning, and discomfort on the heel, you may have Plantar fasciitis. Stretching, and ice can help, along with a short course of physiotherapy. Taping techniques and orthotics can also help.
Rotator Cuff Tear. A common symptom of a rotator cuff injury is aching, and weakness in the shoulder when the arm is lifted overhead. Many shoulder problems are caused due to an underlying weakness of the rotator cuff muscles.
Shin Splints. Very common amongst road runners, shin Splints describes a variety of generalized pain that occurs in the front of the lower leg along the shin. Shin Splints are considered a cumulative stress injury, and can also be caused be biomechanical problems, or even from the nerves in the lower back. Assessment from a physio, or sports therapist should help to diagnose the cause, and get you on the road to recovery.
Shoulder Pain. There can be many causes of shoulder pain, from tendinitis, bursitis, and impingement syndrome. These conditions are very similar and often occur together. Correcting the biomechanics of the shoulder should help to take the pain away. Our physiotherapists can help loosen the joint and teach you exercises to keep the joint mobile.
Stress Fracture. Stress fractures in the leg are often the result of overuse or repeated impacts on a hard surface, and are best dealt with by resting the injured area, or immobilisation in a cast.
Tendonitis. Tendons attach muscle to bones, and can often become inflamed due to overuse. Tendonitis can cause deep, nagging pain which can make sport almost impossible in bad cases. Treating tendonitis consists of rest, medication, and physiotherapy where your therapist may advise a change of technique or equipment.
Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis). This is the main cause of elbow pain, which gives discomfort on the outside of the elbow. It is caused by a cumulative trauma injury that occurs over time from repeated use of the muscles of the arm and forearm that lead to small tears of the tendons. It can also be caused by grip problems. Eccentric exercises provided by your physio or sports therapist can help settle these symptoms.
This list of sports injuries is by no means exhaustive, and is only meant to guide you in the right direction. We would advise to seek the advice of a medical specialist in all cases. Assessment at the Mark Roe Sports Physio Academy should give you an accurate diagnosis, and treatment to help settle your symptoms.
Ankle ligament injuries are one of the most common injuries in most sports.
What is a ligament?
A ligament is a strong band of tissue, made of collagen, which provides stability when we move, and if the ligament gets damaged in any way this is known as a sprain. A strain however relates to muscles or tendons which move the joint as opposed to support it. A sprained ankle is the most common soft tissue injury, and results in over 1.5 million people reporting to hospital A&E departments every year (ref BUPA’s website).
Ligament Injuries/Sprains
Most people have suffered that sickly feeling when they ‘go over’ on the ankle, causing the sole of the foot to fold underneath and inwards. The cracking or popping feeling, when the ankle gives way is due to the over stretching of the ligaments on the outside (lateral) of the ankle. An ankle sprain can be very painful, and often people may feel they have broken the ankle as they are unable to weight bear.
A lateral ligament sprain is very common in sports which involve stop-start movements, jumping and landing, or twisting and turning such as football. Ankle sprains make up over a quarter of all sporting injuries, but they are also common when people step wrongly off a kerb, walk on uneven surfaces, or occasionally drink too much and lose their balance whilst in high heels!
Take Note! People who have previously suffered a ligament injury are more prone to having another but with the medical team he has behind him, I’m sure he’ll be guided properly.
Treatment
Unless the ankle is broken, the treatment is the same as that for all soft tissue injuries (ligament, muscle or tendon) - P.R.I.C.E. which stands for Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. For the short term period (up to 72 hours) following an ankle ligament injury, follow these guidelines. If in any doubt though, always go to hospital, for an x-ray to rule out any broken bones.
- Protection
Protection is needed to protect the injured tissues from undue stress which may delay the healing process. Possibly the best form of protection is to stop playing, and use plaster cast, taping, bandaging, splints, slings, or crutches. Occasionally you may see pictures in the paper showing professional sportspeople straight after the game wearing a protective boot on and using crutches to help them walk.
Rest Avoid any activity directly involving the injured area, or healing will be compromised. Don’t perform any movements which replicate the mechanism of the injury and movements which increase the pain.
Ice Ice is used to limit the damage caused by the injury, by reducing the temperature of the tissues, limiting bleeding and reducing swelling. It may also reduce pain. Ice is best applied, in crushed form, wrapped in a damp towel for a period of 15-20 minutes every 2 hours. It is a good idea to check the skin condition every 5 minutes.
Compression Compression is applied to limit the amount of swelling caused by the injury. Elastic bandages and tubigrip are most effective. However they should not be worn when lying down or in association with elevation.
Elevation Elevation of the injured part lowers the pressure in local blood vessels and helps to limit the bleeding. You should aim to elevate the injured part above the level of the heart as much as possible during the first 72 hours following injury.
Once the acute phase has passed after an ankle injury it is important to get the foot moving as soon as possible even though it may be a little uncomfortable. Rolling the ankle in all directions, pulling the toes up and down, and simple stretches can help. It’s a good idea to seek the advice of a chartered physiotherapist to help provide an exercise programme and help get the ankle moving normally. Of course at a professional sports club, top players will be working daily with the medical staff to reduce the swelling, regaining movement and strength, and preparing his body for a return to sport.
One of the most essential things to note following an ankle ligament injury is the importance of balance exercises. Our ligaments have proprioceptive fibres which work as ‘joint position detectors’, and these get damaged along with our ligaments. In footballing terms this means that when Wayne Rooney jumps to head a ball, these ‘joint position detectors’ in his ankle let his brain know he’s ready to land. If he doesn’t re-train these proprioceptors, next time he jumps to head the ball, the proprioceptors won’t let the brain know where his ankle is, and so there is a good chance that when he lands his foot won’t be positioned correctly which may cause another injury. Balance exercises, such as standing on 1 leg with eyes closed, help retrain the proprioceptors.
Grades of ligament injury
The time it takes for recovery will depend on the severity of the injury. Ligament injuries are classified by grades – the higher the grade the more severe the injury.
A grade 1 sprain happens when there is stretching or minor tearing of the ligaments, it is usually accompanied by mild pain and swelling, and occasionally a little instability.
Grade 2 sprains cause moderate tearing of the ligament, moderate to severe pain when walking, some bruising, and some joint instability.
A grade 3 injury happens when a ligament has completely ruptured. The joint will feel grossly unstable, and will be severely swollen and bruised. This may require surgery to repair the ligament.
For the hundreds of thousands of people who will do a similar injury this year it’s important to remember that the ankle will get better, but exercise and rehab is vitally important. If you suffer an ankle sprain, make sure you consult a physiotherapist for advice and treatment to prevent a future recurrence.
To ensure you get the best treatment, we insist all our therapists are registered with the Health Professionals Council. You can check all therapists online at www.hpc-uk.org.
You only get one body so look after it! We believe you deserve the best treatment.
"Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen"
Michael Jordan