Sports Related Injuries

Runners Knee

Runner’s knee, also known as patella femoral pain syndrome is characterized by pain around the knee-cap (patella). The pain can be dull or sharp in nature and is aggravated by ascending or descending stairs, running, jumping and standing after sitting for prolonged periods. There may be associated clicking or grinding sounds when moving the knee. Runner’s knee has many causes, and chiropractic treatment is based on a full biomechanical assessment of the body such as accessing which muscles are weak or tight that could be contributing to the dysfunction around the knee.

Iliotibial Band Friction (ITB) Syndrome

ITB  friction syndrome is a common running related injury and is characterised by pain on the outside of the knee. The pain may also radiate to the upper outer thigh and hip. The most common cause  is increasing mileage too quickly and is aggravated when running downhill. Sports chiropractic treatment involves addressing the root cause of the injury and modalities such as extracorporeal shockwave therapy, dry needling, electrotherapy, therapeutic ultrasound and alignment to reduce to pain and inflammation.

Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is one the most common causes of heel pain. The pain is sharp in nature is worse when taking the first step in the mornings. Plantar fasciitis is not only a sports related injury, it can also be caused by flat feet, obesity, pregnancy and occupations that involve prolonged periods of standing. The feet are the foundation of the body and when plantar fasciitis is left untreated, it can become chronic and progressively worse to a point where the pain is constant. Plantar fasciitis responds well to chiropractic care, especially during the early stages.

Achilles Tendinopathy

Achilles Tendinopathy is a sports related injury that involves inflammation of the Achilles tendon, which connects the calf muscle to the heel. The pain can be dull or sharp in nature and is aggravated when walking or running uphill. A thorough assessment is performed to locate the area of pain, tenderness and swelling. Achilles Tendinopathy responds well to therapy such as extracorporeal shockwave therapy, foot and ankle alignment and mobilizations, massage, dry needling, stretching and strengthening exercises.

Shin Splints

Shin splints, also known as medial tibial stress syndrome refers to a pain that occurs on the inner part of the shin (lower leg). Shin splints is an overuse condition, characterized by ‘’too much, too soon”. Other causes such as incorrect footwear and hard/uneven surface terrains can also cause shin splints. The pain is usually sharp in nature and is felt before or after activity. If shin splints are left untreated or the activity that caused it continues, there’s a risk of developing a stress fracture. Chiropractic care coupled with rest works well to alleviate the pain.

Hamstring strain

Hamstring injuries are very common in sprinters. It caused by either weakness or stiffness in the hamstring muscle. A hamstring injury will present as  pain at the back of leg, along with generalized tightness of the muscle. A thorough assessment by your sports chiropractor will determine the cause of the injury and a treatment regime will thereby be created.

Tennis Elbow

Tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitiis is an overuse injury of the forearm muscles. It’s caused by repetitive arm and wrist movements. Poor technique and misalignment may also cause Tennis elbow. Although it’s common in tennis players it’s also common with golf players and non-athletes. The pain is usually located over the elbow but can refer down to the wrist and hand. Tennis elbow responds well to conservative treatment.