Can Sports Injuries Cause Arthritis?

There are numerous causes of arthritis, but did you think sports could be one of them? Sports injuries are why so many athletes face joint problems or other kinds of chronic pain associated with arthritis.

There are hundreds of conditions that fall under the arthritis category. Of them, osteoarthritis, or “wear-and-tear arthritis”, is the most common. It’s also the kind that is most likely to form after a sports-related injury. Athletes who suffer from ligament tears, fractures that go through the joints or bruised cartilage are more susceptible to arthritis. These kinds of injuries will affect the way joints, like knees and wrists, move. These irregular movements can cause stress that leads to erosion of cartilage and surfaces in joints, which in turn leads to swelling, inflammation, and pain.

Prevention is the best way to keep injuries from turning into arthritis. Use all sports equipment properly and make sure you are warmed up well before starting any kind of physical activity. If you already have a sports injury, it is important to take care of it to prevent developing an arthritic condition. It’s important not to over-exert yourself and try to push your injured joint too hard before having a chance to heal properly. Take some time to allow your body to restore itself before rushing back onto the court or field.

Following a sports injury, a physical therapist that specializes in orthopedics can evaluate muscle strength, endurance, balance as well as movement quality, then help you restore maximum function, manage pain, and prevent recurrent injuries. Complete the contact form or call (804) 764-1000 to learn how a Sheltering Arms therapist can help you get back in the game.

Share This Post:

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
RehaBlog

More Posts

Rediscovering Identity: Navigating Life After Limb Loss

The full or partial loss of a limb is a challenging, life-altering event. Those who experience it often endure changes in many aspects of their life from their work to their relationships to their perception of themselves. There is a grieving process due to the loss of the limb, and the apparent loss of the life that they had once lived. These factors can leave individuals with limb loss struggling with their personal identity or how they see themselves and the qualities specific to them. Self-esteem and self-confidence may decline and be replaced by feelings of inadequacy.

5 Exercises to Strengthen Your Core

The core and its importance in exercise is far more complex than most people know. In its entirety, the core can be thought of as a box that includes the abdominals in the front, the spinal and gluteal muscles in the back, the diaphragm as the roof, and the pelvic floor and hip muscles as the bottom. When all these muscle groups are equally strong and working together, safe and stable exercise is possible. However, if any of these core muscle groups are weak, it can lead to strain and overuse injuries. Thus, it is important to have a varied core exercise program to maintain a healthy and balanced core.

Why Do My Therapists Collect Outcome Measures?

If you have received physical rehabilitation services at some point, your therapist likely said to you, “Today, we are going to collect some outcome measures to see where we are starting.” Hopefully, you also heard, “Today, we are going to repeat those outcome measures to see how well you are doing.” Those two statements alone should provide some insight as to why outcome measures are being performed. Outcome measurement can give therapists an idea of where a patient is starting at the beginning of their therapy journey prior to any appointments, treatments, or intervention. Outcome measures also provide a way to see progress during the plan of care and the success of those appointments, treatments, or interventions.

Occupational Therapy for Concussions

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that can have far reaching effects on daily life by impacting vision, balance, memory, attention, problem solving, emotions, and sleep. Occupational therapists specialize in rehabilitation and adapting activities of daily life. Occupational therapy is highly individualized and centers on the specific roles, impairments, and demands of each person. Based on the specific needs of the individual, occupational therapy is often used to address the following after a concussion:

Start your Journey

Learn more about Sheltering Arms Institute

Contact a specialist at Sheltering Arms Institute to learn more about how you can gain more freedom in your everyday life.