5 Common Springtime Injuries to Avoid

Today’s post was written by Concordia Physical Therapist Assistant Marcy Reott. At Concordia Outpatient Therapy, we have the expertise and resources to help get patients back to life.

With spring in full bloom, many of us are ready to get out and moving. After being cooped up and unable to participate in some of our favorite sports and recreational activities, our bodies forget how strenuous they can be.

Our minds tend to remember where we were physically last year, and we tend to overdo physical activity that we just aren’t ready for this early in the season. With this comes some common injuries related to overuse and strain.

We treat a wide variety on injuries at Concordia, but some of the most common springtime injuries include:

• Patellofemoral Syndrome (aka Runner’s Knee) – An overuse injury caused by repetitive high impact or bending such as running, biking, high impact aerobics, jumping, and lunging.
• Achilles Tendonitis – An overuse injury caused by increased motion in the ankle and increased push off during activities such as running and jumping.
• Ankle Sprains – Injury caused by rolling the ankle past normal range at an increased speed. Often happens during a fall or with a misplaced step on an uneven surface.
• Rotator Cuff Sprain – An overuse injury caused by a high impact from a fall, repetitive overhead activities, or trying to throw a ball too hard.
• Plantar Fasciitis – An overuse injury caused by poor support of the arch and bottom of the foot. This can occur when wearing flip flops or sandals, old worn out shoes, or no shoes. Also increased walking on uneven or hard surfaces can cause the injury.

If you find yourself with a potential injury from your springtime fun, there are a few things that may help. First, remember that if you have more than mild soreness, you may have a true injury. To treat your injuries remember the acronym RICE.

RICE:

• Rest – To help the injury heal with decreased stress.
• Ice – Twenty minutes at a time on and then twenty minutes off; reapply multiple times a day.
• Compress – This helps contain swelling and stabilizes the area to limit use.
• Elevate – To help increased blood flow and edema back to the central body to decrease swelling. Make sure you elevate the body part above your heart level.

If your issue persists seek medical attention and ask your doctor for a prescription for physical therapy to promote a quick recovery. Visit us at Concordia Outpatient Physical Therapy to obtain the fastest and maximum recovery.

For more information on Concordia Outpatient Physical Therapy, visit our website or call 724-352-4535. You can also message us through the Contact form on our website 24 hours a day.