Ankle sprains-
The most common ankle injury is a lateral ankle sprain, affecting the outside of the ankle. This occurs when the foot/ankle rolls under the body. When an ankle injury occurs it are important to have the injury assessed by a sports medicine professional or physician to determine the severity. As the injury heals it is important to restore the normal range of motion and strength of the ankle along with the proprioception (ability to tell where your body is in space). The proprioceptors are often injured along with the ligament with severe sprains. If these receptors are not retrained, recurrent ankle injuries often occur.

SHOULDER INJURIES:

Instability-
1. ACUTE / CHRONIC SUBLUXATION - general aching around and over the shoulder. This occurs in when the ligaments and supporting structures around the shoulder are not providing the natural intrinsic support that is needed to provide the activity being performed. The result is that the ball of the ball and socket moves too much in the socket and could sublux or come partially out of the socket. With this condition the out of socket joint will reduce itself. A good strengthening program is needed to build the strength and endurance in the rotator cuff musculature. A variety of braces are available to help prevent recurrent subluxations. Ask a sports medicine professional or physician for which brace would best suit you.

2. ACUTE / CHRONIC DISLOCATIONS - The signs and symptoms of this condition mirror a subluxation except for one point. With a dislocation, the joint becomes completely displaced and must be reduced by a doctor. Shoulders generally dislocate forward. However, due to the dynamic make-up of the gleno-humeral joint it may come out in any direction. Athletes with a dislocated shoulder should be immediately seen by a physician.

AC Sprain / Separated Shoulder-
The AC joint is found at the end of the shoulder just above the arm. Athletes generally suffer from AC sprains by falling on an outstretched hand or trauma directly to the AC joint. AC sprains need to evaluated by a sports medicine professional and or physician to determine the severity of the sprain and to rule out a fracture to the clavicle (collar bone). Once cleared for play an athlete should wear an AC pad over the injured area. This specialized and often custom pad disperses force around the AC joint to protect it from further trauma.


KNEE INJURIES:

1. Patellar tendonitis- pain right below the knee cap that is exacerbated with jumping activities. Often can be alleviated by taking some time off jumping (initially 1-2 weeks), anti-inflammatory meds, and strengthening exercises.

2. Meniscus tear- the “cushion cartilage of the knee” may tear due to trauma or wear and tear. Generally the athlete has pain or discomfort with full squatting or jumping and landing on the sides of the knee. They may describe a catch in the knee.

3. ACL Tear- generally traumatic event with the description of a “pop” or “tearing sensation”, often swells quickly and the leg (hamstring) spasms. Usually always requires surgery and the athlete will be out 3-12 months.

CONCUSSIONS:

Concussions Signs and Symptoms
Bell Rung Depression
Disorientation Dizziness
Dinged Drowsiness
Excess Sleep Fatigue
Foggy Headache
Inappropriate emotions/ personality change Irritability
Lethargy LOC
Nausea Nervousness
Numbness/Tingling in extremities Poor Balance/coordination
Poor Concentration Poor Memory
Ringing in ears Seeing Stars
Sensitivity to light Sensitivity to noise
Sleep disturbance Vacant stares
Vomiting

There is no one set of guidelines used throughout the medical field to evaluate the severity of a concussion. The three primary scales which sports medicine professionals and physicians measure the severity of concussions are the Cantu Grading System, the Colorado Medical Society Guidelines, and the AAN guidelines. Although the different guidelines do not agree on the definition of concussion grades and each grades return to play criteria they do agree on the general signs and symptoms of a concussion. In the case that an athlete is suffering from any of the above symptom they should be evaluated by a sports medicine professional or physician immediately.