No athlete wants to get hurt while playing the game–but unfortunately, sports injuries do happen. At Comber Physical Therapy Fusion Chiropractic, we pull from both physical therapy and chiropractic care to offer comprehensive sports injury treatment.
As an example, let’s look at one of our recent patients, Michael (not his real name). Michael was an avid runner. In high school, he ran cross-country. Ten years later, he started running again, hitting the running trails near his house two or three times a week.
Unfortunately, Michael started to experience knee pain a few months in. Not wanting to injure himself further–and not wanting to give up running, either–he scheduled an appointment with our team. Our chiropractors and physical therapists worked together to uncover the cause of his knee pain and develop a personalized sports injury treatment plan.
Keep reading to learn more about how we helped Michael. And if you’re struggling with a sports injury yourself, request an appointment today!
Step 1: Pinpointing the Cause of Michael’s Sports Injury
At Michael’s first appointment, we evaluated his symptoms, took his health history, and talked to him about his running routine. We also conducted a thorough physical examination, running him through screens to test his lower body’s strength and range of motion.
Michael told us that his pain mainly flared up around his kneecap while he was running, although it sometimes occurred while he was going up or down stairs. His kneecap was also tender to the touch. We determined that he had developed patellofemoral pain syndrome, more commonly known as runner’s knee.
But we weren’t just interested in identifying the specific injury. We wanted to know what caused the injury. That way, we could help Michael avoid suffering another injury in the future.
This was where our physical examination was especially helpful. Through our various strength screens, we discovered that Michael’s glute and thigh muscles were weak, which caused him to adopt an awkward posture while running. When combined with him starting up an intense new running program after some time away, the root of his injury was clear.
Personalized Sports Injury Treatment
All this detective work helped our physical therapists and chiropractors create the best treatment plan for Michael’s needs.
Michael’s Sports Injury Recovery Plan
Managed Michael’s Pain
- We offer several drug-free pain management options, including manual therapy and pain-relieving modalities like ultrasound or hot and cold therapy. We also advised Michael to take a break from running while he worked through his treatment plan.
Improved Michael’s Leg Strength
- The next step was to address the underlying cause of Michael’s injury: his weak glutes and thigh muscles. We guided him through a personalized exercise program that targeted those areas.
Addressed Biomechanical Issues
- Because Michael’s running gait contributed to his injury, we provided personalized gait training. We watched him run on a treadmill and then provided careful feedback and corrections to ensure he ran safely and efficiently. As a bonus? After implementing our suggestions, he saw improvements in his run-time, too!
Injury Prevention
- Eventually, Michael’s hard work meant he was ready to ease back into running. We provided him with a return-to-sport schedule to ensure he didn’t do too much too soon. We also helped him develop a cross-training program to avoid repetitive stress injuries and to keep his whole body strong.
Ready For Your Own Sports Injury Treatment Plan?
A sports injury can really throw a wrench into your workouts, but the team at Comber Physical Therapy Fusion Chiropractic can help you resolve your injury and get active once again! Through a blend of physical therapy and chiropractic techniques, we’ll have you back to your old self in no time.
If you’re struggling with sports-related pain or discomfort, schedule an appointment at our Williamsburg clinic today.
Tags: Sports Injury Relief, physical therapists, physical therapy, Comber Physical Therapy, Sports Injuries
