Physical Therapy Associates. 8414 E. Shea Blvd #100 Scottsdale AZ 85260

Golf Injuries

Amateur golfers will achieve 90% of their peak muscular activity when driving a golf ball. This is the same intensity as picking up a weight that can only be lifted four times before total fatigue. Imagine repeating this 40-50 times per round with comparable intensity. Research studies in sports medicine cite that approximately 30% of touring backswing, the greater the club-head speed on contact with the ball. To hit longer and more powerful golf shots you must be willing to improve your posture and flexibility – the domain of Chiropractic care for over 100 years.

The average golfer tends to take up golf at an age when he or she is no longer participating in energetic, competitive and physically demanding sports. Unfortunately, this decreased involvement in competitive play contributes to an overall decrease in flexibility especially of the spine, shoulders, hips and pelvis (key components of a good golf swing).

Common everyday activities like working on computers or commuting long distances tend to contribute even more to this lack of flexibility. This is important to note because flexibility is the key to improving your game and reducing your pain.

Football Injuries

Chiropractors are employed by professional football teams to manage injuries once they occur, but their care also helps prevent injuries. In fact, every team in the National Football League has chiropractors on board to care for their players. Football has a well-deserved reputation as a rough sport, and injuries are very common; however, Bruising tackles and bone-crushing hits are all too familiar among football players at all levels. Too frequently, the physical nature of football results in injuries, ranging from head and spine trauma, to bone fractures, and muscle and ligament damage. He also advises football players of all ages to consider several things prior to a game to avoid injury. Warm up and stretching is imperative, and so is choosing the right equipment and making sure it fits well. Proper hydration, adequate rest and good overall nutrition will all help keep athletes operating at their peak.Repeated hits to the body commonly lead to injuries including strains, sprains, and stingers, which may result in severe aches and pains and loss of proper function. As preventive care specialists, chiropractors suggest football players of all ages take the following steps to properly prepare for games: Dynamic warm up and stretching before practice and games. Wear appropriate equipment while making sure all gear fits properly. Maintain good nutrition to achieve necessary energy levels. Hydrate to prevent overheating and cramping. Rest the body before and after activity, using ice for any inflammation. Discuss all of your symptoms with coaches, trainers, and doctors. Taking a preventive approach with a training routine that includes chiropractic care stacks the deck in the player’s favor helping athletes recover from injury (or collision induced trauma) by restoring optimal function and reducing the risk of reinjury, and ultimately achieving peak performance on the field.

Baseball Injuries

Many baseball players will be out with an injury at some point in time. Shoulder, low back, and knee injuries are very common among baseball players. This is due to the repetitive nature of the sport. Baseball injuries can either be acute or chronic. Acute baseball injuries occur due to a sudden impact and can be painful. A couple of common examples is when of injuries can be effectively treated using chiropractic treatment. Below are some of the most common baseball injuries: Elbow injury-For a pitcher to throw the ball, they have to rotate the shoulder joint, in the process twisting the elbow and upper arm; and flexing the wrist. All this happens very fast, putting some strain on the arm. When repeated over and over again, it does lead to elbow injuries. In some cases when the elbow is suddenly straightened as the pitcher tries to deliver the ball, the compounds in the joint can grind together, causing bone chips. Bone chips are a more serious type of injury that can disable a player for a while. There are also valgus forces during a pitching motion that can put a lot of strain on the ligaments of the elbow. This can cause tendinits, nerve impingment, and arthritis. Back strains - Batters can strain their lower back as they swing the bat. Repetitive motions where the batter over-rotates their low back can cause joint compression and disc hernations. Sometimes, swinging a bat hard can also cause tears on muscles or ligaments on the back or shoulder. Tendonitis of the knee, muscle pulls & foot injuries. Due to the abrupt change in position and the swift movement a player makes when running the bases or playing in the field, players can suffer knee injuries, strains on the legs, groin and buttocks. Muscle pulls in the hamstrings and thighs are also common. Foot injuries too are common. They result from accidentally getting hit with a bat or ball and wearing the wrong kind of shoes.

Basketball Injuries

According to a website posting by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, “Basketball is the leading cause of all sports-related injuries. Each year, children aged 5 to 14 years have more than 407,000 muscle and bone injuries while playing basketball.” most basketball injuries are cumulative, meaning they are caused by overuse. Some ankle injuries or Achilles tendonitis, and low back pain. Three Injury Prevent Pointers - “Properly stretching all the muscles of the body before practices and games is extremely important for all athletes, especially basketball players,” says Dr halsam. “However, basketball players specifically need to focus on stretching and warming up their gluteus muscles, quadriceps muscles and lower leg muscles.” Dr halsam suggests that basketball players perform the following exercises before every practice and every game to help prevent injuries: Gluteus maximus strengthening. While lying on your back with your knees bent, raise your hips off the floor and hold for 2 seconds. You should feel your gluteus maximus muscle tightening up. If you feel it more in your hamstrings or low back, then your glut muscles aren’t firing enough. Repeat this ten times. Split squats. With one leg forward and the other leg behind, bend your front knee 90 degrees. Your back knee should touch the ground. Hold for one second and repeat on the other leg. Repeat this ten times. Psoas stretch. Lie face down on a bed or table with one leg on the ground and the other flat on the table, parallel to the edge of the bed. Prop yourself up on your elbows, and move the grounded foot as far forward as possible. Grab the foot that is on the table and bend it toward you. You should feel a good stretch from the front part of your hip flexor all the way to your knee. Hoping or waiting for injuries to resolve without treatment can prolong injuries, lead to additional injuries or lead to surgeries.

Running Injuries

There are two types of injuries which a runner may sustain: Acute trauma, and an overuse injury. The acute trauma is sudden, such as a torn ligament or broken bones. The most frequently problem encountered by chiropractors is injury through overuse. Here is an overview of the most common injuries a chiropractor will see. Plantar Fasciitis -Cause: and becomes less painful with movement. Is often associated with pronation and a fallen arch. Prevention: regular stretching of the calf and Achilles tendon. It is also important that the feet are assessed for any biomechanical problems. Orthotics or insoles may also be prescribed. Bursitis or Tendonitis - Common problem areas include the knee and ankle. It is an irritation of the bursa (fluid filled sac which sits under the tendon) or tendons from friction, trauma, pressure or dysfunction. Symptoms: Pain and stiffness on movement with no visible swelling at first, but swelling as the condition worsens. Achilles Tendonitis - The Achilles tendon is the connection between the heel and the most powerful muscle group in the body, the calf and is a very common site for a disabling injury. To prevent a chronic problem, do not run through pain. If your Achilles tendon is sore, get it treated immediately. Again, it is also important that the feet are assessed for any biomechanical problems. Orthotics or insoles may also be prescribed and the use of soft heel-lifts are effective as part of chiropractic treatment. Shin Splints - Cause: Faulty posture, poor shoes, fallen arches, insufficient warm-up, muscle fatigue, exercising on unyielding surfaces or poor running mechanics. Symptoms: pain or discomfort on the front, the inside and/or the outside surface of the shin bone or directly on the shin bone. Prevention: Good shoes with shock absorbing features, heel toe landing for the minimum impact, and calf stretches. Sports taping will also help.

Tennis Injuries

There are more than 15 million people playing tennis in the United States alone, eight million play in USTA competition leagues. Approximately 65% of these tennis players sustain at least one injury per year. A tennis chiropractor will treat most tennis injuries and show the player how to prevent injury in the future. When tennis is played at a training typically focuses on muscles used in acceleration, which can lead to injury. A tennis chiropractor will show the tennis player the proper training and stretching in order to avoid injury as well as treat injured players to get them back on the court quickly. Tennis injuries often occur when players hurry their strokes and put their weight on the back leg. At that point all of the power is generated from the wrist and elbow. One of the most talked-about injuries in tennis is lateral epicondylitis, more commonly known as tennis elbow. However the reality is that the most common injuries to tennis players are to the lower extremities, especially achilles tendonitis, infrapatellar tendonitis (jumper’s knee) , and gastrocnemius (tennis leg) which is the calf muscle. Tennis elbow, rotator cuff injuries, turned ankles and lower back are all big problem areas as well for tennis players both competitive and casual alike. A tennis chiropractor will not only treat any of the above injuries, they can show the player how to avoid them as well. Chiropractic treatment for tennis can also be a good alternative to expensive surgery that requires months of downtime. As with professional golf chiropractic medicine is starting to go mainstream in professional tennis. Many of the top pros travel with a chiropractor and there are tennis chiropractors at the ready at almost every professional tournament around the world now. Only recently are amateur tennis players discovering the benefits of chiropractic for tennis injuries and injury prevention.

Soccer Injuries

Due to the outstanding popularity of the game of soccer, greater than 300 million people take part in this sport , in different parts of the world. Common soccer accidents are observed from different players. Soccer became so fashionable because its one kind of sports activity that doesn't require a lot of equipment in order for you to winning a game. Soccer injuries could be classified as cumulative or overuse and acute or traumatic. If the injuries are due to stress on the muscle tissue, stress on the joints and on mushy tissues, then this is listed under cumulative or overuse injuries. They usually begin as small ache and pains but might be severe if not handled early. On the other hand, acute accidents are recognized to be traumatic accidents due to its quite sudden occurrence that can be brought about by dramatic events too. Injuries are a common occurrence in the sport at each level of play. Though not considered a contact sport, theres some physical contact and combined with the excessive physical calls for of the sport, soccer injuries are inevitable . Did you notice that being first to the ball is the primary reason behind soccer accidents? And naturally , that is something we encourage. There are many accidents that can occur in soccer, akin to comfortable-tissue contusions, (bruises), knee accidents, and foot injuries. For a lot of these accidents there are issues that may heal. For heel or foot pains, inserts, positioned within the soccer shoes might help . Different accidents are ankle accidents, fractures, and heading the ball. Youngsters underneath 12 probably shouldnt head the ball as a result of accidents that can occurs.The rate of harm in soccer has been reported to be between 15 and 20 injuries per a thousand hours of play. The speed is slightly higher for female players than male participants. Injuries range from a extreme bruise to more traumatic sort injuries (damaged bones). Overuse injuries are answerable for nearly 30 percent of the injuries in soccer and vary from mild tendonitis (swelling of a tendon) all the way to a stress fracture.

Cycling Injuries

In our Chiropractic clinics we see many types of injuries relating to cycling, from neck/shoulder and lower back to foot injuries. We mainly see injuries that relate to overuse rather than trauma, but that follows the normal trend in sports injuries particularly in long distance events. As more and more people participate and train for triathlons, we see an Cycling injuries may be caused by numerous factors, including trauma, overuse, and faulty biomechanics. The parts of your body that contact your bicycle—hands, feet, groin—are among the most common locations for pain in cyclists, although problems can manifest in any joint or tissue that is exposed to excessive or repetitive forces. Chiropractic care is most well-known for its ability to treat joint pain associated with these injuries, but many chiropractors, including Dr. Halsam, also use proven manual therapies to address your soft tissue injuries. Low back and neck pain is experienced all too often by cyclists, and it can have many different causes. The most common cause of any type of cycling pain is due to an improper bike fit. After having your bike professionally fit which can be done at our office, use the following guidelines to make any necessary adjustments: Moving your seat back may help to reduce lower back and knee pain but may increase neck and shoulder tension. Lowering the handlebars decreases lower back and hamstring muscle stress but may cause increased neck and shoulder tension, and hand numbness. When the seat is set too high, you become unstable and your hips may rock slightly from side to side, putting a strain on the muscles which stabilize your low back. A leg length difference may cause a similar type of problem, which can be detected in a chiropractic exam.Another cause of low back pain is the stress placed on your spinal discs, joints, and muscles due to the prolonged forward POSTURE of cycling.

Volleyball Injuries

It is estimated that 800 million people in about 130 countries play volleyball. The majority of volleyball injuries come from overuse and account for between 50-80% of all injuries. Most injuries are not season-ending or career-ending: most injured players miss four days or less of play. Blocking, followed by spiking, accounts for the highest rate It's a telling fact that elite collegiate players had five times as many injuries (per hour) when they played on indoor courts versus sand courts. The following are some statistics regarding body area injured, type of injuries, and recommendations for either management or prevention strategies: Ankle injuries account for 15-60% of acute injuries. Thumb or finger sprains account for approximately 10% of acute injuries. Radial collateral ligament sprain of the thumb metacarpophalangeal joint is the most common volleyball-related hand injury, and is often the result of blocking. Knee sprains or meniscus tears account for approximately 15% of acute injuries. Anterior cruciate ligament tears usually occur as non-contact injuries when the player lands with the knee hyperextended. Shoulder tendonitis/impingement/suprascapular nerve entrapment account for 8-20% of overuse injuries. Overhead movements such as overhead serving and spiking may increase risk of impingement. The increased force occurring at ball contact while the arm is in maximal abduction may increase the risk of impingement. Patellar tendonitis (jumper's knee) accounts for up to 80% of overuse injuries. Elite players spend much of their training practicing jumping. Up to 32% of players have suprascapular nerve compression. The result is infraspinatus atrophy. The mechanism is particularly associated with the "floater" serve, which involves conveying as little spin as possible to the ball, This injury probably results because the server purposely stops the follow-through immediately after striking the ball.

Gymnastics Injuries

Gymnastics is an elegant sport. It showcases the beauty of human movement and shows us the potential of the human frame. I’m a Scottsdale chiropractor who works with athletes who specialize in gymnastics as a full time sport. The competition is fierce whether the girls belong to a high school gymnastics team or are club pounding on the young joints of the gymnasts becomes a daily routine. The diets that gymnastics circles tend to consume is often calorie restrictive and deficient in appropriate nutrients. As a Doctor of Chiropractic, I have seen many injuries sustained in the gymnastics arena. Many of these injuries can linger into the adult years of these athletes if their injuries are not properly rehabilitated. From my experience as a scottsdale chiropractor, I assess and search for early degeneration, brittle bones and even serious stress fractures. These are injuries which can limit an athlete from jogging or playing sports for the remainder of their lives. My advice for gymnastics participants is to get checked by a local chiropractor to see if they are suffering from over-training or any current injuries. As a chiropractor I always advise my gymnasts to not over-train, to eat a proper diet, maintain proper spinal alignment and take the preventative measures to avoid any long lasting injuries. Another conversation I have with my gymnastics patients is to listen to their bodies. Pain is designed as a warning signal to alert our conscious minds that we need to change what we are doing. One of the main reasons for the high number of gymnastics injuries may the increase in advanced stunts and higher levels of competition in recent years. Today's gymnastics stunts include increasingly technical acrobatic and gymnastic moves with a much higher degree of risk and difficulty than in years past.
Gymnasts routinely hurl themselves through the air performing back-flips, twists and tumbles and new, cutting-edge stunts. These moves require precision, timing and hours of practice with a skilled coach.

Snowboarding Injuries

Both skiing and snowboarding can result in sports injuries, but they tend to have slightly different injury patterns. Skiers are more likely to have knee injuries (from twisting motion during falls), and snowboarders tend to have more upper body injuries (as a result of falling on an outstretched hand). There are also many injuries common to both types of winter athletes. Preventing Injuries ~ The best way to prevent skiing or snowboarding injuries is with proper conditioning programs (lessons) that are begun before you hit the slopes.

Common Skiing and Snowboarding Injuries: Knee ~Anterior & Posterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL/PCL)Injuries, Injuries to the Meniscus. Head ~ Concussion. Neck and Shoulder ~ Shoulder Fracture (Fractured Calvicle), Torn Rotator Cuff, Shoulder Separation, Shoulder Dislocation, Whip Lash, Neck Strain. Hand ~ Skier’s Thumb, Colles Wrist Fracture, Wrist Sprains, Finger Fractures, Wrist tendinitis. Back~ Muscle Strains of the Back, Low Back Pain, Herniated Disks, Backaches and Stress.

Other Injuries~ Frost Bite and Hypothermia, Sprains and Strains, Delayed - Onset Muscle Soreness,
Injury Prevention Tips for Skiing and Snowboarding~Wear Wrist Guards, Wear a Helmet, Dress for Winter Exercise.

Hockey Injuries

Ice hockey injuries are common and range from minor annoying aches and pains to serious traumas. For both recreational and professional ice hockey players, it's essential to wear appropriate ice hockey safety equipment including helmets, pads and protective gear, to reduce both the risk and severity of injury. Even so, a hockey player may still sustain an injury on the ice. Ice hockey injuries are generally defined as either chronic (overuse) injuries or acute (traumatic) injuries. Overuse injuries are cumulative aches and pains that occur over time and can often be prevented with appropriate training and rest. Traumatic injuries are often accidents that occur suddenly and can't be avoided, but require immediate first aid.

Common Ice Hockey Pain and Injuries ~ Statistics indicate that the large majority of ice hockey injuries are caused by direct trauma during games. Hard body checks, player collisions, forced collisions with the walls and ice, and direct blows from the puck, flying sticks and skates all add up to injuries and underscore the inherent danger of ice hockey. Sprains and strains are the most common type of hockey injury. Cuts and scrapes to the head and face also top the list of hockey injuries, but using helmets with a full face shield has reduced the severity and frequency of these injuries. Flying skaters, sticks and pucks, along with the many collisions on the ice frequently leave hockey players tending a variety of bruises and contusions.