Sports Injuries & Post-Surgical Rehab

Wellness Expert Newsletter

• Sports Injuries & Post-Surgical Rehab • Exercise Essentials • Patient Results • Yoga & A Toned Body

Exercise is an important part of life in order to get or stay healthy. For many people, sports is a funway of burning extra calories, socializing and getting fit. Unfortunately, this also means the occasional sports injury, or a flareup of an old injury or condition. Almost everyone knows that exercise is good for the heart and lungs, and many people are such avid exercisers that they are of the mindset if they are going to have a health issue, they would rather it be orthopedic in nature than cardiac. However, you don’t have to be a professional or even amateur athlete to suffer a sports injury. In fact, many times those most susceptible to sports injury are people who have just started exercising or do it on a recreational level, your typical weekend warrior. For the sake of brevity, sports injuries in this article will be defined as injuries to the musculoskeletal system, includingmuscles, bones and tissues such as cartilage. The most common sports injuries include: SPRAINS: A sprain occurs when the connective tissue that joins the end of one bone with another is stretched or torn.

Those connective tissues are known as ligaments. Sprains are caused by trauma such as a fall or blow to the body that knocks a joint out of position. Ankles, knees and wrists are most vulnerable to sprains. However, back, neck, and shoulder sprains are very common too. STRAINS: A strain occurs when a muscle or tendon is pulled, torn or twisted. Strains are non-contact injuries, such as those that occur fromoverstretching. A common example of a strain is a muscle spasm. A back or neck strain is a very common injury treated in physical therapy.

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“IF YOU’RE ANATHLETE, THIS ISWHAT YOU NEED TO DOWHEN EXPERIENCING AN INJURY. ”

CANYON CAN TREAT YOUR INJURIES NATURALLY

KNEE INJURIES: According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the knee is the most commonly injured joint. Orthopedic surgeons see more than 5.5 million people annually for knee injuries, which can include runner’s knee (pain or tenderness close to the knee cap at the front side of the knee), tendinitis and iliotibial band syndrome (pain on the outer side of the knee). Severe knee injuries often include bone bruises or damage to the cartilage or ligaments. SHIN SPLINTS: Shin splints occur when there is pain along the large bone in the front of the lower leg, known as the tibia or shin bone. Shin splintsmost commonly occur in runners, especially those who are just starting a running program. This is usually due to poor alignment of the body, or weakness in the leg muscles. The good news is that Canyon Sports

Therapy can treat many orthopedic and repetitive motion injuries without the need for invasive surgeries or addictive medications. In fact, most doctors have their patients try physical therapy first, before recommending any other procedures. The licensed physical therapists at Canyon Sports Therapy can customize a program that recognizes the weaknesses of your particular musculoskeletal system, allowing you to recover quickly and stay active. Even if you have an old injury, it is important to have it evaluated by our physical therapists to prevent long term damage such as arthritis to your joints. If you have a new or old sport or orthopedic injury like tendinitis, arthritis, a stress fracture or low back pain, our therapists can design a treatment program to promote wellness and minimize the chance of re-injury.

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PATIENT RESULTS

The pain has disappeared! “I went to Canyon Sports Therapy thinking the ligaments or tendons in the pelvic area of my lower back were causing my pain. Brad determined that the number 5 and number 3 facet joints were the problem and limiting my outdoor activities. In only five visits, the pain has disappeared, my hip flexibility is improved, and my ability to pursue sports has been restored.” - M.V. I was able to ski and play soccer! “I came in a couple months ago with a ton of back pain and it was keeping me from playing soccer and teaching skiing. I started going to PT once a week and just after a couple weeks I was able to ski and play soccer more comfortably. Now I can ski and play soccer without any pain. PT was fun and I enjoyed it.” - S.T.

OUR MISSION “To restore physical ability and bring out your inner athlete.”

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Simple Movements Help With Weightloss A Yoga Pose To Help Tone Your Body

DOWNWARD DOG POSE How It Works:

The Downward Dog Pose or Adho Mukha Svanasana is a weight-bearing pose. You need to position the upper body on your hands. It is an excellent way to tone your arms and biceps. It also strengthens your entire upper body. It stretches your back, chest, shoulders, hamstrings, and calf muscles. Precautions: Do not do this pose if you suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome. Instructions: 1. Folding forward at the hips, place your palms on the mat. If you can’t reach, bend your knees to get your palms to the mat. 3. Pressing strongly into your palms, step the other foot back to meet the extended leg, while lifting your hips up. 4. Adjust your feet by stepping them closer to your hands. Straighten your legs and push away from the floor. Tips • 30-30 rule: Every 30 minutes of performing the same task, take a 30 second break to change position and then resume the activity. • Vary your tasks to allow the body time to recover from a repeated task. Do not attempt yoga before speaking to your physical therapist. If you have pain while attempting this pose please call Canyon Sports Therapy. 2. Step one foot back several feet, and press your palms firmly into the mat.

Exercise Essentials Try this simple exercise to keep you moving...

Always consult your physical therapist or physician before starting exercises you are unsure of doing.

QUAD SET Helps with knee pain While lying or sitting, tighten your top thigh muscle to press the back of your knee downward towards the ground. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat 6 times.

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HEALTHY RECIPE

QUINOA SALAD 14 INGREDIENTS • 12 cups water • 1 1/2 cups quinoa • 5 pickling cucumbers, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes • 1 small red onion, cut into 1/4-inch cubes • 1 large tomato, seeded and diced • 1 bunch Italian parsley leaves • 2 bunches mint leaves • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

• 1 lemon • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt • 3/4 teaspoon black pepper • 4 heads endive • 1 avocado

DIRECTIONS Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the quinoa, stir once, and return to a boil. Cook uncovered, over medium heat for 12 minutes. Strain and rinse well with cold water, shaking the sieve well to remove all moisture. When dry, transfer the quinoa to a large bowl. Add the cucumbers, onion, tomato, parsley, mint, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and toss well. Spoon onto endive spears, top with avocado, and serve.

Copyright (c) 2006, Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger

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