Sept. 21, 2022 | With school now officially begun, more and more students are getting involved in athletic activities of all kinds. One of the most important ways to protect a young athlete is to make sure they get a physical by a health-care provider before starting a new sport. Dr. Kathryn Nance, a sports medicine physician at UAMS, says a physical is necessary to find out if the athlete is in good health, to measure their physical fitness and to find any conditions they may have that could make them more likely to be injured. The physical exam is similar to an annual checkup, but with some added things that relate to playing sports. The provider will focus on the health of the athlete’s lungs, heart, bones, and joints. Dr. Nance adds that its important to share certain information during a physical, such as any allergies you might have, a list of the immunizations you’ve had and when you had them and any injuries you’ve had, including concussions or broken bones.

Sept. 21, 2022 | A stinger is a sports injury to the nerves about the neck or shoulder. It is sometimes called a burner or nerve pinch injury, but the term stinger is most descriptive of the symptoms that the athlete experiences including painful electrical sensations radiating through one of the arms. The stinger occurs most commonly in contact and collision sports, but is not as catastrophic as a spinal cord injury and does not result in paralysis in the arms and legs. A stinger is often not reported by the athlete to the coaches or the athletic trainers since the symptoms can spontaneously resolve within a short period of time. However, stingers can recur and if not properly diagnosed and treated can lead to persistent pain or even arm weakness. There are several options for the treatment of an acute stinger. Treatment for acute pain usually includes activity restriction, ice or heat, anti-inflammatory and pain medications, and a cervical collar.

Sept. 21, 2022 | What’s the difference between a strain and a sprain? A strain hurts a muscle while a sprain hurts a ligament. A strain occurs when you stretch or tear muscle tissue by overextending it. In sports, acute strains are most likely to occur when you are running, jumping, or lifting. They also happen when you quickly change direction. You’re more likely to strain a muscle in cold weather. The symptoms of a strain are sudden pain followed by immediate limited range of motion to the affected area. Many things can cause a sprain, from falling and landing on an arm or foot to twisting a knee. The symptoms of a sprain can include pain, swelling, bruising, and being unable to move your joint. You might feel a pop or tear when the injury happens. Treatment of both sprains and strains usually involves resting the injured area, icing it, wearing a bandage or device that compresses the area, and medicines. Later treatment might include exercise and physical therapy.

Sept. 21, 2022 | Every year almost two million Americans will visit their doctor because of a rotator cuff problem. The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles that come together as tendons to form a covering around the head of the humerus, or upper arm bone. The rotator cuff attaches the humerus to the shoulder blade and helps to lift and rotate your arm. Athletes are especially vulnerable to overuse tears, particularly tennis players and baseball pitchers. Painters, carpenters, and others who do overhead work also have a greater chance for tears. Some tears are not painful, but others can be very painful. Treatment for a torn rotator cuff depends on how severe the injury is and how long they’ve had the torn rotator cuff. Treatment may include cortisone injections, medications to reduce the pain and swelling and electrical stimulation of the muscles and nerves. Surgery may be recommended if the pain is not relieved by non-surgical methods.

Sept. 21, 2022 | A dislocation is an injury to a joint, a place where two or more bones come together, in which the ends of your bones are forced from their normal positions. This painful injury temporarily deforms and immobilizes your joint. Dislocations can occur in contact sports and in sports in which falls are common, such as gymnastics and volleyball. Basketball players and football players also commonly dislocate joints in their fingers and hands by accidentally striking the ball, the ground or another player. Treatment of a dislocation depends on which joint you dislocate and the severity of the injury. It might include manipulations to reposition your bones, medicine, a splint or sling, and rehabilitation. When properly repositioned, a joint will usually function and move normally again in a few weeks. Once you dislocate a shoulder or kneecap, you are more likely to dislocate it again. Wearing protective gear during sports may help prevent dislocations.