East Toronto Orthopaedic & Sports Injury Clinic and Trilogy Physiotherapy have partnered in order to provide you with the experienced and skilled care you deserve.
Sports Injury Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy Treatment in Toronto
Injuries are common when participating in sports. They can range from traumatic injuries from sudden impact to overuse injuries from repetitive strain, and anywhere in between.
Common sports injuries we treat:
Ankle sprain
Ankle sprains make up 85 percent of all ankle injuries. A sprain occurs when ligaments tear or are overstretched. Ligaments help stabilize joints, preventing excessive movement between bones.
Most ankle sprains are lateral sprains, which occur when your foot rolls inwards, causing the outside of your ankle to twist toward the ground. This action stretches or tears the ligaments and is often associated with a popping sensation. Immediate swelling over the area of injury often occurs and pain can be severe. Ligament injuries range from partial to complete tears. Occasionally, a fracture of the foot occurs with a severe ankle sprain.
Rotator Cuff Injury
Rotator cuff injuries can range from mild to severe. Tendonitis is an injury caused by overuse of the rotator cuff and causes it to become inflamed.
Athletes who use overhead movements such as baseball players or those with jobs that require them to repeatedly reach upward commonly experience this injury. The rotator cuff muscles can also strain (overstretch) or tear partially or completely due a sports injury, after a fall, a car accident, or from poor posture, and degeneration. Tendinopathy is a wear and tear condition of the soft tissue that can cause pain and is associated with small tears in the rotator cuff or the long head of the bicep tendon.
Lateral Epicondylitis (Tennis Elbow)
This is an overuse injury that causes pain and inflammation of the tendons that attach to the outer boney prominence (lateral epicondyle) of the elbow.
The pain may extend into the forearm muscles and is usually aggravated when grasping or holding an object even as light as a cup of coffee. Any repetitive motion of the wrist including hedge trimming, excessive use of a hammer or screwdriver, painting, or any activity that requires constant gripping or squeezing can cause tennis elbow. It can occur in anyone who strains the lateral elbow through overuse. Small or large tears can be present in the extensor muscles of the wrist. Chronic elbow pain can also develop with epicondylopathy or enthesopathy, a pathological state of the muscle tendons, especially at the point of attachment to bone tissue.
Medial Epicondylitis (Golfer’s Elbow)
This condition causes pain where the tendons of your forearm muscles attach to the bone on the inside of your elbow.
The pain might spread into your forearm and wrist, and much like tennis elbow, this is also typically an overuse injury to the muscles and tendons. Athletes who throw can suffer golfer’s elbow due to improper throwing technique. There may also be associated numbness or tingling usually in the ring finger and pinky finger.
Hamstring/Groin Strains
Hamstring and groin injuries are commonly seen in many sports such as hockey, soccer, and baseball.
The tendons of these muscles attach to the pelvis and are injured by fast, dynamic movements, or caused by repetitive strain of tight or weak muscles. Symptoms can include pain in the groin area, or the inside or back of your thigh and buttocks. It can be an aching or sharp pain that is aggravated by pushing off of the affected leg when running or skating. Depending on the severity of the injury, these muscles can be strained or torn, and limit a player’s ability to return to their sport for weeks or months if not treated properly.
Patellar Tendon Problems
Jumper’s knee or patellar tendonitis is an overuse injury that causes pain at the front of the knee.
Runners, skiers, cyclists, and those involved in jumping sports and activities are prone to develop inflammation or tendinopathy of the patellar tendon, which connects the kneecap to the shinbone or tibia. Symptoms include tenderness when pressing on it or kneeling.
Patellofemoral Pain or Chondromalacia Patella (Runner’s Knee)
Pain is located at the front of the knee or behind the kneecap. It commonly occurs in those who frequently play sports, and particular in adolescent girls.
It can be due to an increase in training, performing high-intensity jumping and knee bending, or from poor patellar tracking. This results in damage or irritation of the articular cartilage underneath the patella. Pain is usually worse when walking up and down stairs and squatting.
Concussions
A concussion is a traumatic brain injury which is often caused by a blow to the head. They are often seen in contact sports.
Symptoms include dizziness, headaches, loss of balance, memory loss, and difficulty concentrating. We provide concussion rehabilitation therapy (CRT) to help patients recover from concussions and return to their sport.
You don’t need to be injured to benefit from physiotherapy. If you’re looking to improve your performance in your sport, we can help! Whether you want to run faster, jump higher, or lift more, we can help you reach your goals.
Our physiotherapists will do a comprehensive assessment to analyze your movement, strength, and mobility, then provide you with a sports-specific treatment program to help you perform at your best!
Physiotherapy treatment and management of the above conditions has been proven to be helpful in relieving pain, injury rehabilitation, speeding up recovery, and managing chronic symptoms. Treatment involves education, self-care management, exercise therapy, and manual therapy and spinal manipulation are commonly used by a registered physiotherapist to treat pain. Other treatments such as acupuncture, soft tissue release and laser therapy can also help. A registered physiotherapist can conduct a skilled assessment and examination of your condition and recommend the appropriate treatment and rehabilitation program.
To book an appointment, Call Us today at 416-691-3943 or contact us here.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sports Injuries
What kind of assesment do physiotherapists conduct for sports injury?
Physiotherapists conduct a thorough assessment of all injuries including subjective and objective components. During the subjective part, the physiotherapist will ask questions about your current injury, previous history of injuries, and sporting activities. During the objective part, he/she will watch you perform various movements, measure your strength, check your ligament stability and test other physical attributes. From this information, the physiotherapist can diagnose your injury and discuss your treatment options.
What are the benefits of doing physiotherapy for sports performance?
The benefits of physiotherapy for sports performance include increasing an athlete's strength, endurance, power, balance, and coordination. However, one of the greatest benefits is preventing future injuries.
What is the most common sports injury?
This depends highly on the sport being played. Muscle strains are very common in all sports. Tendinopathies are more common in sports with repetitive motion such as running or swimming. Ligament sprains are more common in sports involving cutting movements or contact.
Why are sports injuries bad?
Sports injuries can be painful for athletes and lower performance or even prevent an athlete from playing his/her sport.
What are some exercises that treat sport injuries?
A variety of strengthening and stretching exercises can be helpful for treating sports injuries. A physiotherapist can prescribe rehab exercises that are tailored to an athlete's ability and progress them according to their stage of recovery. Exercises that resemble movements performed during a sports are often encorporated.
What is the difference between a sports therapists and a sports massage therapist?
A sports therapist can include both physiotherapists and athletic therapists. These individuals will focus more on active recovery from injuries (performing rehab exercises), although they are also capable of performing manual therapy (hands-on) when needed. A sports massage therapist will specialise in hands-on techniques to help relieve muscle tension and mobilize soft tissues. Often, a combination of these approaches works best.
How long is the healing process for a rotator cuff injury?
This depends on the nature of the injury. A strain of a rotator cuff muscle can heal in 1-3 weeks. A tear of the rotator cuff can take 6 weeks to 6 months or longer to heal, depending on the severity. Acute tendinitis of the rotator cuff can take 2-4 weeks to recover while a chronic tendinopathy can take 2-6 months.
