A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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Overview of Sports Injuries Facts about sports injuries: Sports injuries are common daily occurrences in the US. Most sports injuries are due to either traumatic injury or overuse of muscles or joints. Many sports injuries can be prevented with proper conditioning and training, wearing appropriate protective gear, and using proper equipment. Sports and soft-tissue injuries: Most sports injuries are due to minor trauma involving soft-tissue injuries - injuries that affect the muscles, ligaments, and/or t...

Exercise Finding the right exercise program and the right preparation: To be physically fit you do not have to exercise intensely for long periods of time. Experts agree that physical activity does not have to be vigorous, and recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity daily, or on most days of the week. To achieve and maintain physical and cardiovascular fitness, health professionals advise following a balanced fitness program - a program that includes the following: If you have an exi...

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (Runner's Knee) What is runner's knee? Click Image to Enlarge Runner's knee, also known as patellofemoral pain syndrome, is a condition characterized by dull pain around the front of the knee (patella), where it connects with the lower end of the thigh bone (femur). What causes runner's knee? Runner's knee may be caused by a structural defect, or a certain way of walking or running. Other causes may include the following: a kneecap that is located too high in the knee joint ...

Shin Splints What are shin splints? Shin splints involve damage to one of two groups of muscles along the shin bone that cause pain. The location of the shin splint pain depends on which group of muscles is damaged. The two types of shin splints include the following: anterolateral shin splint - a type of shin splint that affects the front and outer part of the muscles of the shin and is caused by a congenital (present at birth) imbalance in the size of opposite muscles. posteromedial shin splint - a ty...

Sports and Fractures Information about sports and fractures: Fractures are breaks in the bone that are often caused by a blow or a fall. A fracture may be classified as a simple fracture (a thin fracture that may not run through the entire bone), or a compound fracture, in which the broken bone protrudes through the skin. Most fractures occur in the arms and legs. Symptoms may include tenderness over the bone, swelling of the affected area, deformity of the limb, and increased pain upon movement. What a...

Exercise and the Aging Person Exercise benefits persons of all ages: There are numerous benefits of following a regular exercise program - even for individuals who are challenged by such conditions as joint pain, back pain, arthritis, or osteoporosis - or individuals who are recovering from an injury or surgery (i.e., joint replacement, arthroscopy). Exercise has also been shown to be beneficial to people of all ages, as it helps to lower blood pressure, lower the risks of falls and serious injuries (su...

Lumbar Strain (Weight Lifter's Back) What is a lumbar strain? A lumbar strain is an injury to the lower back, which results in damaged tendons and muscles that spasm and feel sore. What causes a lumbar strain? Click Image to Enlarge Trauma of great force can injure the tendons and muscles in the lower back. Pushing and pulling sports, such as weight lifting or football, can lead to a lumbar strain. In addition, sports that require sudden twisting of the lower back, such as in basketball, baseball, and g...

Patellar Tendonitis (Jumper's Knee) What is jumper's knee? Click Image to Enlarge Jumper's knee, also known as patellar tendonitis, is a condition characterized by inflammation of the patellar tendon, which connects the kneecap to shin bone (tibia). The condition may be caused by overuse of the knee joint, such as frequent jumping on hard surfaces. What are the symptoms of jumper's knee? The following are the most common symptoms of jumper's knee. However, each individual may experience symptoms differe...

Preventing Sports Injuries Most sports injuries are the result of inadequate training in certain sports, structural defects in the body, and weaknesses in the body. Many people who start exercising after being sedentary sustain a sports injury. However, with the proper precautions, sports injuries can often be prevented. How can I prevent a sports injury? The following are some basic steps to prevent a sports injury: Warm up properly before any physical activity. Alternate exercising different muscle gr...

Exercise: The Right Program and the Right Preparation Finding the right exercise program and the right preparation: To be physically fit you do not have to exercise intensely for long periods of time. Experts agree that physical activity does not have to be vigorous, and recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity daily, or on most days of the week. To achieve and maintain physical and cardiovascular fitness, health professionals advise following a balanced fitness program - a program th...

Ice Packs vs. Warm Compresses For Pain When to use heat and when to use cold: It can sometimes be confusing whether to use heat or cold when treating sore muscles or an injury, but keep these facts in mind: Heat: brings more blood to the area where it is applied. reduces joint stiffness and muscle spasm, which makes it useful when muscles are tight. helps to resolve inflammation. Types of warm packs/pads: warm towel Dampen a towel with warm (not scalding) water. Apply to the affected area to relieve mus...

Sports Injuries There are many sports injuries that require clinical care by a physician or other healthcare professional. Listed below are some, for which we have provided a brief overview. Overview of Sports Injuries Exercise Exercise and the Aging Person Lumbar Strain (Weight Lifter's Back) Patellar Tendonitis (Jumper's Knee) Patellofemoral Stress Syndrome (Runner's Knee) Preventing Sports Injuries Sports and Fractures Shin Splints

Follow the Road to Safety Exercising outdoors can be fun and enjoyable, but you should keep personal safety in mind before you head out the door. These safety tips from the American Running Association apply not only to runners, but also to people who walk, bike or inline skate. A big part of playing it safe is paying attention to where you choose to exercise. Keep the following guidelines in mind: Know your route. Be familiar with the area; know which businesses are open along your route. Stay in the o...

Sensible Skiing: Have Fun and Avoid Injuries Preparing for ski season requires more than dusting off your skis and waiting for the snow to fall. Whether you're an advanced skier or a beginner, proper conditioning is necessary to help ensure you avoid injuries and have fun on the slopes. "Strength, endurance and flexibility are all very important for skiing," says Roger V. Larson, M.D., associate professor of orthopedics and sports medicine at the University of Washington. "Skiers need to start concentra...

Athletic Shoes: Lace Them to Fit You probably haven't given much thought to the way you lace your shoes or sneakers. Shoe lacing is the kind of thing you learned in kindergarten and then took for granted. But experts say shoe lacing makes a difference. It's just one of many simple things you can do to safeguard your feet while you put them through the demands of an athletic workout or even a long day of walking over all sorts of surfaces. Simply lacing your shoes or sneakers properly, along with choosin...

Is It Too Hot To Trot? When the first warm, sunny day of spring arrives, you're rarin' to take your exercise program back to the great outdoors. Whoa, hold your handlebars. If you're not careful, you could wind up with a case of heat exhaustion just as easily as the couch potato next door, no matter how fit you might be. Indeed, although being fit increases your tolerance to heat and cold, your body still needs time to acclimate itself to warm weather. In winter, your body has had a relatively easy time...

Softball's Most Dangerous Move: The Slide Sliding in to base is one of the most dangerous moves in softball. The best way to eliminate sliding injuries is to use bases designed to pop loose when they are struck too hard. These breakaway bags could eliminate up to 96 percent of sliding injuries. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1.7 million injuries and $2 billion in health care costs could be avoided if breakaway bases were used. Maybe some day all the nation's ...

Sports Injuries: When to Call the Doctor Sports injuries can be either acute traumatic, which require immediate medical care, or chronic overuse injuries. When should you treat a sports injury yourself, and when should you stop playing until you see a physician? Here are a few sports injuries that you should know about. Head injuries/concussions Don't take chances with a concussion or any other head injury. The brain is composed of tissue with the consistency of gelatin and is normally cushioned by spin...

Sports-Related Knee Injuries Skiers, football players, aerobic dancers, step-class participants, and athletes who play basketball, tennis and racquetball all have one thing in common—a propensity for knee injuries. Your knee joint is a joint where the femur (thigh bone) meets the tibia (shinbone). Muscles and ligaments hold the bones together. The surfaces of the ends of the femur and tibia are separated by a crescent-shaped layer of cartilage called the meniscus that prevents them from rubbing on each ...

Shape Up to Hit the Slopes Getting ready to ski or snowboard often consists of trying to remember where you stashed your gear last spring. That approach may get you to the slopes, but it can reduce your enjoyment once you're there. Skiing and snowboarding use muscles that don't normally do so much work. And high altitudes put even more stress on your body. "Those factors can compound to create significant fatigue and muscle soreness," says Ray Browning, Ph.D., a researcher in Denver, Colo. "By the secon...

How to Avoid Sports Injuries Sports injuries happen when you exercise or play sports. Although not every sports injury can be prevented, the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) says that injury rates could be reduced by 25 percent if all athletes — professionals and amateurs — followed essential safety, conditioning, and preventive strategies. Most people who experience sports injuries have one or both of these in common: A history of injury. Previous injuries o...

Off-Season Exercises for Golfers If you're an avid golfer, winter weather can really get you down, as you count down the days until spring arrives. The PGA National Resort and Spa recommends the following exercises for the off-season to improve your spring golf game. Do two sets of 10 to 12 repetitions of each stretch. Incline push-ups Improves posture and upper body strength. Against a bench, desk, wall or countertop, place your hands shoulder-width apart and walk your feet away until your heels are of...

Avoiding Joint Injuries Most sports-related injuries involve damage to the joints. Common joint injuries include a twisted ankle, sprained wrist, overextended elbow, and damaged knee ligaments. Fortunately, you can take steps to help prevent joint damage. When exercising for health and fitness, you can be more at risk for overuse injuries, experts say. But you can build strength in your joints and avoid joint injuries by exercising correctly. Common injuries A sprain is a stretching or tearing of a liga...

Put a Stop to Nerve Injuries Called Stingers Body-jarring moves are part of the game for football players, wrestlers and others who play contact sports. They're also the most common cause of "stingers," painful electrical sensations radiating through one of the arms. These painful injuries affect the nerves in the neck and shoulders, or those in the neck that branch off from the spinal cord, according to the North American Spine Society (NASS). Although a stinger is usually a spine injury, it is never a...

Olympian Advice on Preventing Sports Injuries Neither Olympians nor weekend warriors are immune to tendonitis, ankle sprains, low back problems, and knee pain. Although common, these injuries often can be prevented with proper conditioning. "Activities like tennis, softball, cycling, volleyball, or basketball can cause people to exert a lot of pressure on their muscles and joints," says Scott A. Rodeo, M.D., a former competitive swimmer who was a member of the 2004 U.S. Olympic Committee medical staff. ...

Taking Steps Against Athlete's Foot You don't need to play a sport to get athlete's foot. But, having a game plan for preventing this pesky infection can help your feet stay healthy. The cause Athlete's foot is a common infection that's caused by several fungi, says the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA). You can come in contact with fungi by walking barefoot almost anywhere that's warm and damp, such as the pool area or the locker room at your gym. Wearing someone else's shoes or borrowing a...

Getting the Most From Physical Therapy Physical therapists teach people recovering from surgery or with injuries, sprains or arthritis how to perform exercises that will help them gain strength and mobility and prevent recurring injury. For the treatment to be successful, however, patients have some responsibilities, as well. "First and foremost, you need to come to your therapy sessions motivated and with a positive attitude," says Michael Cibulka, P.T., O.C.S., spokesperson for the American Physical T...

Snow Sports Whether you're heading for the mountain to ski or just taking your sled to the hill, you can enjoy a great day out and get some exercise at the same time. If you're just starting out, make sure to learn about your chosen sport and the risks involved. When it comes to snow-sport safety, "our main concern is head trauma," says Reginald Washington, M.D., a pediatric cardiologist in Littleton, Colo. "Kids who ski through trees or toboggan through trees—that's how you can get a concussion." Wear ...

Ease the Pain of Muscle Cramps You're on the final leg of your daily run when a cramp strikes your lower leg. Your stride shortens and you begin to limp, hands reaching toward your calf. What causes this painful problem that's sometimes called a Charley Horse? Experts aren't exactly sure. Cramps can occur during exercise when a muscle becomes tired from repeated activity and when there's a salt/fluid imbalance. The muscle suddenly contracts, often causing a very tight ball or knot. Some cramps occur at ...

Feet First: Choosing the Right Footwear for the Job and Sports According to the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA), the feet of an average adult during an average day bear a force equal to several hundred tons. Feet need the protection of proper footwear. Work shoes Both men and women should wear safety shoes and boots appropriate for the job and designed specifically to protect feet. Safety shoes and boots can be waterproof (or water-resistant), can have insulated steel toe caps and soles of...

Keep Clear of Golf's Hazards Golfers often dwell on how far they can hit the ball. Golf fitness specialist Mike Pedersen thinks they should worry more about the distance to their toes. "If you go to any driving range, probably one in 20 golfers can bend over and touch their toes," says Mr. Pedersen, an Arizona trainer certified by the American Council on Exercise (ACE). "The ones who can't, have tight hamstrings, and that's a huge limitation to their game." Although many people view golf as a leisure ac...

Injuries Plague Athletic Baby Boomers From master runners to members of over-50 basketball leagues, baby boomers are proving that age is no reason to drop a favorite sport. Clarence Shields, M.D., a past president of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, routinely treats boomers and older athletes. "People are living longer, they are trying to be active longer, and the level of intensity they want to compete at is very high," he says. But as we age, our bodies change. Knee joints have le...

Snowboarding? Avoid Spills on the Hills Snowboarding is our fastest-growing sport, according to the National Sporting Goods Association. Jumps, spins and other on-the-edge moves by some athletes may make this sport look riskier than skiing. But doctors say the danger is about equal. "Out of every 1,000 people on the slopes on a given day, three or four will end up seeing a physician, and the rate is about the same whether they're skiers or snowboarders," says Colorado orthopedic surgeon Peter C. Janes, ...

Sprains, Strains, Breaks: What’s the Difference? If you've sprained your ankle, you know what severe pain is. But maybe that "sprain" was a "strain" or possibly even a "break." The amount of pain in each case can be virtually equal, so oftentimes the only way to find out what you have is to see a doctor. Just the facts Here are some facts on musculoskeletal injuries: Sprains are a stretch and/or tear of a ligament, the tissue connecting two bones. Ligaments stabilize and support the body's joints. For e...

Basketball: Make Safety a Point Basketball is an exciting sport, but it can also be tough on your body. College and professional basketball players must train to avoid injury--and so should your youngster. Experts say players can avoid injury by strengthening muscles through a supervised weight-training program before the season. That helps prevent ligament injuries to knees and ankles, the most common court injuries. Players must also warm up and cool down properly. Here are suggestions from the Nation...

How to Avoid Common Running Injuries Running is a great way to get in shape, but it can also lead to injuries. Knowing about common injuries and how to prevent them can keep you on track toward achieving your fitness goals. Running right Experts recommend the following strategies to prevent injuries: Identify your running goals. You may choose to begin running to improve your physique, lose weight, increase cardiovascular fitness, or socialize with friends. Whatever the reason, it's a good idea to ident...