Sports Injuries Q & A
Sports injuries include all those that commonly occur during physical activity, whether you’re a dedicated athlete, a weekend warrior, or you simply like to stay active. When you suffer a sports injury, the doctors at FX spine & Performance Center are the experts you need to achieve optimal healing, rehabilitation, and pain relief. Please don’t hesitate to call our office to set up an appointment for a thorough evaluation of your sports injury.
What are the main causes of sports injuries?
The most common sports injuries treated by doctors are:
- Muscle strains and sprains
- Knee injuries
- Shoulder injuries
- Ankle sprain
- Lower back pain
- Shin splints
- Achilles tendinitis
- Dislocations and fractures
How are sports injuries treated?
After you sustain a sports injury, the goal is to prevent further damage to the area, reduce inflammation, and relieve pain. Initially, you may use rest, ice, compression, and elevation of the affected area to reduce inflammation and swelling. Immobilization is sometimes needed to prevent further damage while the injury heals.
Two key elements of treatment for sports injuries are:
Peripheral joint injections
When you have pain in a peripheral joint — the hip, shoulder, elbow, wrist, foot, or ankle — joint injections can be used to diagnose the precise source of your pain, then to provide pain relief. Your doctor at FX Spine & Performance Center injects steroid medication using ultrasound to guide precise placement of the needle. Steroids reduce inflammation and stop pain for several weeks to months.
Physical therapy
Physical therapy, including a comprehensive rehabilitation program, is a vital component of treatment for sports injuries. It helps the injured area regain normal strength and function, and reconditions your body so you can safely return to your athletic activities.
How does platelet-rich plasma heal sports injuries?
Your blood contains tiny solid components called platelets. Platelets are packed with proteins called growth factors, which promote healing by triggering the growth of new cells and tissues.
Platelet-rich plasma is developed by drawing blood from a patient and separating platelets from the blood sample. When all the platelets are added back to a small amount of liquid plasma, you have highly concentrated, platelet-rich plasma (PRP).
Your doctor at FX Spine & Performance Center uses ultrasound to guide needle placement, then injects your own PRP into your sports injury. The PRP helps muscles, tendons, and ligaments heal faster, it reduces inflammation and encourages the growth of new tissues to replace damaged tissues.
Can FX Neuromuscular Therapy be used to treat sports injuries?
FX Neuromuscular Therapy is non-invasive Neuromuscular Stimulation. It can be used to treat sports injuries, function and performance. FX Performance offers individualized treatment programs to reprogram and re-educate connections in order to improve pain, movement & performance.
