Football Injuries and Recovery Measures
It’s the beginning of football season and you’re enjoying Monday Night Football with your family and friends. You’re so into the game and suddenly in the blink of an eye your favorite player goes down and is out for the season due to an injury! Unfortunately an event like this is common in the sport of football due to repetitive actions that can lead to overuse and injury of the areas being utilized the most. We would like to inform you of the three most common football injuries with recovery measures. The three most common injuries are the following:
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Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury
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Shoulder Dislocation
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Ankle/Foot Injury
The Anterior Cruciate Ligament, commonly known as the ACL, is located in the middle of the knee and assists the normal function and stability of the knee. ACL injuries occur due to direct blows to the knee as well as constant twisting and turning on a planted foot.
In football, shoulder pads are used as protective gear, but direct blows to the shoulder as well as falling directly on your shoulder can cause shoulder dislocations or separated shoulders.
The American Journal of Orthopedics states that ankle/foot injuries often occur to specific positions of football players such as offensive and “skill position” players, including linemen, running backs, and wide receivers. These injuries typically occur due to extreme running, tackling, and cutting from side-to-side. The shoes worn by football players, known as cleats, also have a great effect on ankle/foot injuries due to traction on the playing surface. Once the injury has occurred it is best to stay off of the region in order to decrease swelling. Ankle braces and Kinesiotape® may also be used as a necessary tool to stabilize the injury.
Immediately following all of the injuries presented you must use the acronym of R.I.C.E. ( Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevate) in order to treat the pain and swelling. Physical therapy will soon follow a week later in order to increase range of motion and strengthening. Based upon the injury physical therapy can last a duration of up to 8 weeks before returning back to normal functioning. Don’t forget your physical therapist can assess you and determine if further medical assessment is needed.