Playing sports and being physically active is good for your body, but injuries happen. When you have a sports injury, the first thing you need to do is stop playing. Continuing to work out when you have an injury might make things worse.
You can manage minor sports injuries at home, but some injuries benefit from a visit with our sports medicine expert, Douglas J. Abeles, MD.
At Douglas J. Abeles MD & Associates in Castro Valley, California, we have a team of experts who work with Dr. Abeles to make sure you heal quickly and safely so you can get back to your active lifestyle.
Here, we want to share with you some of the common sports injuries that need professional treatment.
Knee injuries
Your knees are large weight-bearing joints that help you jump and run and make those quick movements. That’s also why knee injuries are common in sports. Because you rely on your knees so much to play, any injury to the knee benefits from treatment.
Some of the knee injuries we treat include:
- Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear
- Dislocated kneecap
- Patellofemoral syndrome
- Tendinitis
- Fractures
Treatment for these injuries varies, but always includes physical therapy. An ACL tear won’t heal on its own and requires knee surgery.
Rotator cuff injuries
If you play sports that require overhead arm use such as baseball, football, or tennis, you’re at risk for rotator cuff injuries. Part of your shoulder, the rotator cuff is a group of tendons and muscles that covers the head of your humerus (arm bone), helping you lift and rotate your arm
If you rely on your shoulder to play your sport and you have a rotator cuff injury, you need treatment to regain full use of your shoulder.
Depending on the severity of your injury, you may only need physical therapy and anti-inflammatory medication. But if you have a torn tendon, we may perform shoulder surgery to reattach it.
Elbow injuries
Elbow injuries are common in athletes who play baseball, tennis, golf, and football. These types of sports rely on the elbow joint to throw and hit, causing overuse injuries like tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow (inflammation of the tendons in the forearm).
Sprains, strains, and fractures are also common sports-related elbow injuries. A bad fall onto the elbow may fracture the olecranon, the bony point of your elbow, which may require surgery to fix. Olecranon stress fractures are also common overuse injuries in athletes.
If you have elbow pain that’s affecting your game or you suspect you have an elbow fracture, you need professional care.
Achilles tendon injuries
Your Achilles tendon is the thick tendon that attaches your calf muscle to the back of your heel. This tendon helps you walk, run, jump, and pivot.
Overuse causes Achilles tendinitis, resulting in pain, swelling, and stiffness. Without proper care, your injured tendon may tear and require surgery. If you have Achilles tendon pain, getting care now may prevent the need for surgical intervention.
If you play sports and you have an injury, you need treatment. With the right care, we can heal your injury and prevent future problems.
Let us help you get back in the game. We provide expert sports medicine care to athletes living in Castro Valley, the San Francisco Bay Area, and East Bay, including Hayward, San Leandro, San Lorenzo, Pleasanton, and Oakland. Call our office to request an appointment today.