Shin Splints



MTSS

Does your shins ever throb or ache? Does pain occur after simply the smallest movement or even during the biggest playoff game of your life?

Yes these could be signs of shin splints! Another known name for shin splints is Medial Tibia Stress Syndrome (MTSS) although this pain appears on the lower leg and on the inside of the bone where shin splits is common to appear from the knee to the ankle. (1) So for those you are wondering what is shin splints, allow be to tell you. They are when you get pain in the shins either on the outside or inner part of the leg. It is caused by vigorous exertion which means too much force applied to the shin bone. This usually happens to athletes who play sports that involve then to stop and go constantly. Such as in sports like running, basketball, soccer, tennis, etc.

 
I noticed many people with who I play sports with get shin splints. I am very thankful that I have not gotten any yet and hope not get any in the future. A girl a played soccer with would get them often but she would play through the pain which is not a good idea. She would tape her shins with the KT tape and think that everything will be fine. One thing I believe we must know is doing something to numb the pain will help for a short period of time but the injury could get worst in the long run.

Symptoms of shin splints

• Swelling in the lower leg
• Pain on the inner part of your leg
• Tenderness or soreness
• Nerves get irritated therefore your feet feel numb

To diagnose that you have shin splints it is usually shown on physical examinations. Also, you can go to the doctors and get a bone scan, X-Ray or a MRI to determine if there is a stress fracture on the tibia bone.

Treatment (2)

Here is a list of treatment tips to help heal your shin splints as best and soon as possible.

• The most important is REST your body
• Place a heat compressing wrap over your leg
• Ice your leg for 20min every 3-4 hours
• Do physical therapy and leg exercises if your doctor recommends it
• Take pain killers if necessary

How to prevent shin splints (3)

• Always wear the proper shoes to do your exercise
• Make sure to warm up before your exercise
• When you feel pain stop your workout and take a rest
• Be careful on uneven surfaces and hard concrete pavement

 

(1)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shin_splints

http://www.medicinenet.com/shin_splints/page3.htm

(2)http://www.wikihow.com/Treat-Shin-Splints

(3)http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/shin-splints

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/242169.php

Sprained Ankle

 I believe that an ankle injury is the most common injury that can happen. This sprain doesn't not only occur to athletes but to everyone of all ages. Furthermore, it does not happen while playing a sport but also, when you simply step at a different angle or on a uneven surface.

Ankle sprain is when the foot rolls beyond your capable limits or is twisted too far. Also, the ligaments are used to hold the ankle in place and help with proper movement but when they get overly stretched and sometimes even be torn pain will occur and that can be a sign of a sprained ankle. (1)

I know a family member of mine about 2 years ago sprained his ankle, it was a high ankle sprain (you will learn of a high ankle sprain further on). It took him over 2 months before the injury healed and allowed him to play sports again at his full potential. The reason is because he never stopped after his injury to let his ankle heal and that is the worst thing to do! I know a few people that have experienced sprains so much that their ankle does not heal properly. Consequently, their ankles get rolled and twisted easily making it hard for them to enjoy doing activity and not getting hurt so often.

Classification

Lateral Ankle Sprain: It's when the ankle is rolled towards the outside of your foot. Therefore this one is the most common.

Medial Ankle Sprain: It's when the ankle is rolled towards the inside of your foot.

High Ankle Sprain: This one affects the ligaments around your tibia and fibula. It's when your ankle rolls towards the outside and is most common while playing a sports.

Severity

Grade 1: Some one in this category will have a bit of swelling and tenderness because the ligaments were stretched a little bit. (2)

Grade 2: Putting weight on your ankle will be difficult because of the pain. The ligaments are torn partially and swelling is noticeable. (2)

Grade 3: This is the most severe sprain because the ligament is completely torn. You will not be able to put weight on your ankle and the will be a lot of swelling. (2)

How to prevent

There is no way to avoid an ankle injury for sure, all you have to do is just take precaution of things that you do. We always want to make sure our ligaments are strong and flexible to decrease the probability of getting a sprained ankle. Here are a few ways to prevent an ankle sprain:

• Warm up and stretch your ankles
• Watch your step when you walk around
• When you get tired/ fatigued be extra carful with the motions you do with your ankle
• Wear the proper equipment on your feet for the activity that your doing.

Treatment

To heal your ankle it will depend on the severity of the sprain and how well the patient can take care of it. First of all you should see a doctor so they can examine your ankle and take x-rays if needed to determine that your injury is not too serious. After that you must follow the rule of R.I.C.E! Therefore, you must limit your amount of walking, apply ice to reduce swelling (20min every 3-4 hours), wrap your ankle and elevate it while your resting. Keep in mind depending of the grade level of the sprain there is more treatment such as for grade 3 sprains you must immobilize the ankle. Also, stretching and taking anti-inflammatory pills will help increase the healing process.

Here is a link to a video on how to treat a sprained ankle. Hope you enjoy!

1.http://kidshealth.org/teen/safety/first_aid/ankle_sprains.html#
2.http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00150

Jammed Finger

There is nothing worse than you not being able to participate in a sport or physical activity due to a minor injury. A jammed finger is one of the smallest yet still a very painful injury. A jam does not only occur to fingers it can also happen to your toes and various other parts of your body but not as often. A jam is when you get a finger joint pain and in most cases there is swelling. So if your wondering what exactly is a jam let me explain. It is a type of sprain that occurs to the interphalangeal (knuckles) joint of the fingers. Usually it's a consequence of a forceful object hitting the ends of your fingers and pushing towards the knuckles.

 Common sports

A jammed finger is very common in a sport where you must do ball handling. As soon as I hear the word ball handling I think of basketball because you must dribble and catch a ball. Also, if your like me you can jam it playing volleyball especially because this sport you use your fingers to set and pass a ball. About 2 months ago, I went to pass up a smash and jammed my thumb. It was the most painful injury I have ever experienced! The aching pain and the swelling bothered me so much I did not play sport for a week. Although, after that week I continued playing and re-injured it, as a result of not treating it properly it took over a month to heel.


Treatment

A JAMMED FINGER MUST BE TREATED IMMEDIATLY! The immediate treatment will help your injury heal faster. Most jams last 1 to 2 weeks and some for example my case in months. This type of injury usually does not take too long to heal unless a fracture occurs. the symptoms of a fracture are;

pain, swelling, bruising, or tenderness

trouble moving the finger

a crooked looking finger

How do I treat a jammed finger? The answer is the same simple solution to every injury which is RICE.
Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevate

Rest: To immobilize and rest the affected finger to help it heal faster. That means do not play any sports using your hand.

Ice: Apply ice to your finger about 20 minutes every hour. Ice will help reduce the swelling but make sure you wrap the ice in a towel so your not placing it directly on skin.

Compression: In this case of a finger jam you don't need to have compression

Elevate: Have your finger elevated as much as possible. This will help increase the blood flow in that area to speed up the healing process.

Hopefully the jammed finger will heal as soon as possible but it will depend on how well you treat it.

 http://www.wikihow.com/Treat-a-Jammed-Finger

http://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/injuries-emergencies/sports-injuries/pages/Common-Finger-Injuries-in-Athletes.aspx

Muscle Cramps

Have you ever suffered from a muscle cramp? If so there are many reasons why this particular condition has occurred. A muscle cramp is a involuntary contraction which means you are doing something against your will and as a result it can cause serious pain. These cramps can limit your movement and performance or become so extreme that your not able to do any activities you enjoy doing.

Allow me to explain how a muscle cramp works: First of all, as mentioned before its a involuntary muscle that is contracting. As we move our muscle contract and relax (de contract) naturally therefore a cramp does not allow the muscle to relax. When the muscle contracts in a spasm and lasts at that stage for a long period of time this is how a cramp is created. These cramps can occur to any muscle in the body whether it's your calf, thigh, hand, forearm or even eye lid. Once in a while I get them in my thigh, and they are sleeping cramps. I believe those are the worst because they appear in your sleep after you make the slightest movement. When I get these, they prevent me from sleeping and they become aggravating. No matter how much I stretch I cant get rid of it!

The types of muscle cramps

 

There are four different types of muscle cramps such as;

1) True cramps: These are the most common cramps because they are usually caused by fatigue.

2) Tetany: These cramps occur when the body is low on vitamins

3) Dystonic Cramp: The cause of this cramp is when you do a repetitive movement

4) Contractures: Its when the muscle or tendon gets hard and causes that joint to deform.

 

Causes of muscle cramps

 

• Not enough blood circulation
• Overexertion while exercising
• Not stretching well before exercise
• Exercising in the heat
• Fatigue of your muscles
• Dehydration
• Lack of vitamins
• Malfunctioning of the nerves
• Side effect of some drugs

Treatment

A muscle cramp can be treated by STRETCHING! This is the easiest way to get rid of a cramp and there are many stretches for divers parts of the body. Also, you can try messaging the muscle or by applying heat. In serious cases some cramps can be stopped by getting injections in that muscles or tendon "ouch".

Prevention

• Stretching before and after exercise
• Drinking a lot of fluid before, during and after your activity
• Get your vitamins

If you would like to learn more and have an in-depth knowledge on muscle cramps visit these amazing websites:

http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/muscle-spasms-cramps-charley-horse

http://www.medicinenet.com/muscle_cramps/article.htm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPp3Ibf37xU