Tag Archive for: Orthopedic Care

The Most Common Sports Injuries by Season

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There’s a sport for every season – and an injury for every sport.

Every year, an estimated 2 million sports injuries result in approximately 500,000 doctor visits and 30,000 hospitalizations.  And that’s not even counting professional athletes, adult weekend warriors and other sports enthusiasts prone to injuries!

As long as sports involve vigorous physical activity and contact, common injuries will occur. Let’s take a look at some of those injuries for some of the most common sports by season.

Most Common Injuries for Fall and Winter Sports

Football is one of America’s most popular sports, both as a spectator and a participant. Perhaps the ultimate contact sport, it can take quite a toll on a player’s body. Much has been debated recently about head injuries and concussions. However, traumatic knee and ankle injuries are extremely common on the gridiron.

Ice hockey can be just as brutal on the upper body. Whether slamming against headboards, falling on the ice, or getting into fistfights with opposing players – and despite the use of protective padding – hockey players frequently sustain shoulder, wrist, dental and head injuries. Shoulder injuries often include broken clavicles and acromioclavicular (AC) joint separation, while wrist injuries usually include sprains and fractures.

Most Common Injuries for Spring and Summer Sports

Although baseball and softball are not considered contact sports, they do involve a lot of running, throwing, catching, and pivoting, all of which can result in knee, leg, arms, and shoulder joint problems. For example, a baseball pitcher who specializes in fast balls can suffer a rotator cuff injury, tearing shoulder tendon tissue. Other players may suffer hamstring muscle injuries, sprained ankles or shin splints run around the bases or on the field. And who can deny that sliding into home – or another player for that matter – doesn’t classify as contact?

Many of the same leg injuries occur during soccer games, affecting adolescent players as well as adult athletes. You can add Jones fractures (of the bone on the outside side of the foot beneath the little toe) and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears, which is the ligament in the center of the knee, to the list. Plus, heading the ball over time puts an athlete at risk of developing chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease found in those who have a history of repetitive brain trauma.

With swimming, injuries tend to result from the overuse of one’s joints and muscles. Shoulder injuries are common, as is breaststroker’s knee, which can become painfully inflamed. 

All-season Sports

Year-round indoor/outdoor sports like basketball and volley tend to create frequent cases of meniscus tears. This is a common “court” injury in which forceful twisting results in the tearing of certain knee tissue. Jumping to slam dunk a basket, block a shot, snatch a rebound can lead to patellar tendonitis (jumper’s knee), in which the tendon attaching the kneecap to the shinbone can be torn.

Meanwhile, a heated game of tennis can result in any number of injuries including ankle sprains, rotator cuff tears, stress fractures, and – yes – tennis elbow, the inflammation of the tendons joining the forearm muscles to outside of the elbow.

Whatever the season, there is the risk of injury while participating in your favorite sport. If or when it happens, it’s important that you get the proper and prompt medical attention of a specialist trained in sports medicine.

The orthopedic surgeons at Colorado Center for Orthopaedic Excellence diagnose and treat all kinds of joint conditions including sports injuries. We look to non-invasive methods first before resorting to surgery. For expert and compassionate care in the Colorado Springs area, call (719) 623-1050 for an appointment today.

Tips & Tricks for Finding Great Orthopedic Care

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You don’t have to be an Olympic athlete to suffer from tendon, muscle, and joint pain. As it turns out, even “weekend warriors” can suffer from musculoskeletal ailments. If you’re enduring pain in your muscles, have joint deformities, or are having difficulty performing everyday tasks, you are a good candidate for orthopedic care.

Orthopedic doctors diagnose and treat a vast range of musculoskeletal issues – degenerative conditions (osteoporosis), joint problems (arthritis), bone tumors, and sprained ankles. When you visit a specialist, they must first diagnosis your disorder, which may include the use of X-rays, blood tests, and other diagnostic studies, and then suggest treatment. While some conditions can be treated with medications, physical therapy, or special exercises, others may require surgery. A reputable doctor will always recommend surgery as a last resort, and first try to treat your condition with less extreme measures. Therefore, it’s always advised to see an orthopedic specialist before a problem progresses; this can be a helpful step in preventing the need for more serious surgeries.

You may be wondering how to select the right orthopedic specialist for your particular injury or condition. Because orthopedic medicine has become so highly specialized in recent years, it’s important to select the doctor based on the injury. For example, if you fell playing volleyball and hurt your leg, then you’d want to visit a sports medicine doctor.

Patients can be most helpful when they come prepared. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) recommends bringing any information you have on your condition to the first visit. If you’ve had emergency room care or any labs tests done, it’s best to bring these.

Experience is a major factor when selecting any physician – but especially so when it comes to orthopedic surgeons. According to Aetna, the number of surgeries performed by a doctor is a wonderful indicator of their level of experience. The meticulous precision required of procedures such as back surgery or joint replacements is staggering; it’s always a good idea to select a doctor who is currently board certified, and has been working for a number of years.

Do your due diligence when searching for the right doctor. According to the AAOS, a surgeon in this field will have completed 14 years of formal education. Recommendations from friends are one way to get referrals, but if you’re looking for a real directory of reputable physicians, The American Medical Association (AMA) and AAOS both feature online directories where you can search for doctors by specialty and locale. Asking your primary care physician for a referral is another great way to find the right specialist for your needs.

As with all medical procedures, large out-of-pocket costs can lead to long-term financial woes. Talking to your insurance provider about your orthopedic care options will help you plan for expensive procedures, and ensure that you don’t receive any surprise bills after treatment.

Whether you’re the “weekend warrior” who was injured playing sports, a professional athlete, or simply struggling with everyday aches and pains, the appropriately named Colorado Center for Orthopaedic Excellence can help you to treat what is ailing you. A true pillar of virtue in the field of orthopedic medicine, their staff of knowledgeable physicians are board certified to treat a plethora of disorders, among them: arthroscopy, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, orthopedic trauma, and hip & knee replacement. When it comes to credentials, theirs couldn’t be better. In fact, their office is the official orthopedic medicine provider of the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center. Call (719) 623-1050 today, or request an appointment online.