Sports Medicine

What Spring Training Means for Back Injuries

It’s springtime again – or nearly there, anyway – and all sports fans know what that means: spring training and the return of Major League Baseball’s players to their winter training grounds. Unfortunately, as players come back to the stadiums, they also return to a heightened risk of back injury. Commonly known as overuse injuries, these lower back injuries can be subtle and usually occur over prolonged periods of time. They are the result of repetitive micro-trauma to the tendons, bones, and joints, typically caused by training errors involving a too-rapid acceleration of the intensity, duration, or frequency of a given activity. Studies show the majority of injuries occur in the beginning of the season due to lack of conditioning in spring training. These injuries decrease steadily each month starting in April and going through September, the first and last months of the season. According to Dr. Douglas Comeau, a sports medicine physician and assistant professor at Boston University School of Medicine, the most common injuries among fielders include hamstring and groin strains, and pitchers tend to strain or tear ligaments in the elbow or rotator cuff. “Major league baseball players might not take spring training seriously, but then need to play a whole game in

March 25, 2015

Tony Romo Injured: Understanding Transverse Process Fractures

Football season is still young, and already all eyes are on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. The star player sustained his third back injury in 18 months during an October 27 game against the Washington Redskins, causing him to have to sit out the November 2 game versus the Arizona Cardinals. Romo is no stranger to pain or back injuries. Last April he underwent surgery to remove a cyst on his back. Just eight months later, he suffered a herniated disc and underwent a second surgery. This most recent injury is what’s called a transverse process fracture—two of them, to be exact. Romo is known for playing through a tremendous amount of pain—he famously led his team to a win in a 2011 game with a cracked rib and punctured lung—but Brandon Weedon took his place in the November 2 game. The transverse process is a small wing-shaped bone that sticks out on either side of the vertebrae. Fractures are often caused by an intense, concentrated impact, and the blow that took Romo out of the game was certainly powerful: he quarterback was hit by a knee in his lumbar spine, the same area where he’d had surgery. Of course,

November 11, 2014

Now What? Post-Marathon Recovery

This past weekend, over 50,000 runners participated in the New York City Marathon, the largest race in the world. Months of rigorous training went into those 26.2 miles, but what happens after you cross the finish line is just as important when it comes to preparing for your next race. You may feel ready to take on the world after your marathon, but your body needs a break. You’ve likely iced your joints and muscles immediately after the race, but be sure to wait a few days before any sort of major heat. A session in the sauna or a hot tub will relax muscles, but adding heat too soon after the race will further inflame them. Instead, take a break and schedule a massage. These activities bring blood flow to areas that need repairing. Don’t get right back to running. In the first week post-marathon, focus on stretching and low-impact cross-training activities, like easy bike rides, or walking. Swimming is especially easy on the back. Gentle yoga poses such as child’s pose are great for helping muscles heal. Then, try an easy 30-minute run at the end of the week to gauge how your body is feeling. If, at

November 4, 2014

Exercising in Cold Weather: Stay on Track This Winter

You may have been able to stick to an exercise routine during the warmer months, but when temperatures drop, we all have the urge to hibernate. When figuring out the best way to continue exercising in cold weather, the obvious answer is to join a gym. But for those who can’t take things indoors (for instance, if you’re training for a marathon), there are some important exercise and equipment adjustments you can make so you can safely brave the cold. In winter, warming up is more important than ever. Consider adding time to your warm-up, and starting indoors so you already feel warm when you step outside. After you warm up, don’t stop to stretch, as your body will cool down again quickly. Similarly, it’s best to cool down inside. The biggest enemy of warmth during winter workouts isn’t the cold air; it’s moisture. Peripheral vasoconstriction, a process where the body slows the amount of blood reaching the skin’s surface and heat leaving the body, is your natural defense against cold temperatures – but it’s not enough. Stay dry as you exercise by wearing moisture-wicking clothing for the layer closest to your body, as cotton will stay wet. Over this,

October 28, 2014

Kids and Football Safety

Nothing says fall more than football, whether that means watching a professional game on TV with family and friends or having your child go out for the team. Even with all the excitement around the start of the season, there are still plenty of football safety concerns, especially for younger players. The biggest question for parents is usually “at what age can my child start playing tackle football?” This question made headlines recently when former NFL coach John Madden spoke out against younger children playing the sport. “I’m a firm believer that there’s no way that a 6-year-old should have a helmet on and learn a tackling drill,” he said in an interview. Because children have proportionally larger heads to their bodies than adults, they’re more prone to injury. Mark Hyman, co-author of Concussion and Our Kids: America’s Leading Expert on How to Protect Young Athletes and Keep Sports Safe argues that kids shouldn’t be allowed to play tackle football until they’re at least age 14. Even for those who wait until their freshman year of high school to play football, there’s still risk. In 2012, football was responsible for 394,350 emergency roommates in athletes under age 19. These young athletes

September 30, 2014

Back Pain from Your Backhand? Preventing and Treating Tennis Injuries

You’ve been working hard on your serve, only to have to sit out your next tennis match because of back pain. While you may be in pain, you’re certainly not alone; tennis injuries, especially back pain, are common (even in the pros) and can range widely in their level of severity. The rotation needed to switch between backhand and forehand can wrench muscles in the low back, leading to acute pain. Serving is also a major culprit when it comes to back pain in tennis players because the hyperextension puts stress on the foot joints and disc. More serious problems include herniated disc or degenerative disc disease and stress fractures can occur a condition more common in younger players. As always, an ounce of prevention is worth of a pound of cure. Stretching before play is key, as is finding the right racket and proper shoes for shock absorption. Players new to the game as well as those who have been playing for years should make sure their form is correct — with knees bent and abdominal muscles contracted. Also, make sure to use the first ten minutes on the court as warm-up time before playing hard. Those modifications are

September 2, 2014

Water sports Safety: Tubing and Jet Skiing over Labor Day Weekend

Earlier this summer, a friend of mine herniated a disc in his neck after a bad fall while waterskiing. Around the same time, a Georgia woman made headlines when she was airlifted to the hospital following a tubing accident. This 31-year-old woman suffered major back injuries after her tube hit the wake of a second boat and she fell off the raft. Her story highlights how tubing and Jet Ski accidents can end in back injury. As you say farewell to summer this Labor Day weekend, reduce your family’s risk of injury with these water sports safety tips. Understand boating safety precautions and rules. Even though Jet Skis and similar vehicles don’t require a license to operate, some states have started regulating their use and sharply restricting their rental availability. Generally, Jet Skis carry a much higher risk of injury than boats. Check to see if your child is old enough to operate in your state before your vacation, or if you and your family need training first. Wear a life vest. Even the best swimmers need a properly fitting, Coast Guard-approved life vest when hitting the lake. It’s also a great idea to wear a wet suit to

August 26, 2014

Brazil star Neymar out of the World Cup with Fractured Vertebrae

While Americans celebrated the 4th of July with fireworks and barbeques, Brazilians were on the edge of their seats during their team’s World Cup match against Colombia. Though Brazil won the match 2-1, the team was faced with the tough loss of their star striker Neymar de Silva Santos Junior, more commonly known simply as Neymar, who was carried off the field on stretcher during the second half of the game. Nearly 88 minutes into the game, Neymar was brought to the ground by a knee to the back from Colombian defender, Juan Zuniga. There are conflicting reports out of Brazil as to whether the hit was intentional, but one thing was for certain: Neymar was out of the match. As Neymar writhed in pain, he reportedly told teammate Marcello, “I can’t feel my legs.” After undergoing x-rays at a local hospital, doctors determined that a vertebra in his lower back had been fractured but luckily there was no neurological damage that would cause a long-term injury. Fortunately, this mechanism of injury is not severe enough to cause a severe spinal fracture, and Neymar’s prognosis for a full recovery is excellent. However, the injury will keep him sidelined for the

July 8, 2014

Olympic Gold Medalist Amy van Dyken’s Recent Injury and ATV Safety

In a prior post, I addressed the risk surrounding all-terrain vehicles, otherwise known as ATVs. These recreational vehicles are often known to flip over and can cause spinal injury from impact, as well as other injuries including suffocation from the weight of the vehicle. ATV’s can weigh over 500 pounds. In the prior blog post I discussed the danger children and adolescents face when riding these motorized vehicles, but it is important to recognize that there is a high risk of injury for ATV riders of all ages. Earlier this month, six-time Olympic gold medalist swimmer Amy Van Dyken-Rouen was thrown from her ATV after hitting a curb and flying over a five-to-seven foot embankment while out riding with her husband in Arizona. The 41-year-old, an avid and experienced ATV rider, injured her spinal cord at the T-11 vertebrae, causing paralysis. The broken vertebra compressed the spinal cord, causing injury. On June 7, she underwent a six-hour fusion surgery, in which rods were placed in her back. Fortunately, Van Dyken-Rouen escaped head injury even though she was not wearing a helmet. The Olympic champion has no memory of the accident and is currently in good spirits at a rehabilitation center in

June 24, 2014

Swimming to Relieve Back Pain

Severe back pain can often deter patients from exercising as lifting weights, running, and even walking can become increasingly difficult when experiencing back pain. However, swimming is often a safe and pain-free way to get in exercise without putting pressure on your back and joints. The buoyancy of the water eliminates the stress that is usually absorbed by our joints during exercise, allowing you to remain active while simultaneously providing pain relief. And, you actually build muscle faster in water than on land due to water’s viscosity—water is 12 times as resistant as air. If you choose to swim to help relieve your back pain, don’t just dive in, especially if you are new to swimming. Begin with standing exercises, like pool aerobics classes, to strengthen your core muscles and adapting your body to the water. When it’s time to swim laps, make sure to take the time to learn the strokes properly. Understanding and adopting correct swimming technique is extremely important, so consider enlisting the help of a trainer or coach to help you learn the proper strokes. All forms of exercise, if done improperly, can cause pain and discomfort, so it is important to learn the correct techniques

June 17, 2014

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