Common Sports Injuries Our Burbank Sports Chiropractor Treats

At Allied Pain and Wellness, we pride ourselves in being able to treat and correctly rehab sports injuries throughout the Burbank and surrounding areas. Dr. Shahen Simian, our sports chiropractor, will evaluate each individual specific to the injury, or area of concern, and customize a treatment plan that will best suit their needs.

Our chiropractor has helped everyone from weekend warriors to powerlifters, CrossFit athletes, and weightlifters compete at the highest level through functional and movement training. The last thing an athlete wants is to suffer an injury that could have been prevented. Chiropractic care can help increase the longevity of an athlete and help prevent serious injury.

Below are some of the most common sports injuries we see here at Allied Pain and Wellness.

Lower Back Pain

Causes of Low Back Pain: There could be a number of causes of lower back pain involving twisting, turning, or lifting. Be mindful of proper lifting techniques and see your doctor if faced with any serious injuries. It is important to be mindful and aware when lifting and carrying objects as to not strain your back. Low back pain is what chiropractors see most frequently in their office.

Rehab Tips: Mobility plays an important role when dealing with joint issues. If a person is not moving properly, certain accessory muscles will be recruited and overworked to help compensate for the “unstable” area. Cat Camel and performing knees to chest can help with this. Stabilization is the next step doctors recommend and very important in helping rehab an injured area. Strengthening your core (ex: planks), low back muscles, quads, and hamstrings can help protect the low back and help prevent future injuries.

Shoulder Pain

Causes of Shoulder Pain: The most common sports shoulder injuries occur from throwing, lifting, and carrying objects. It doesn’t take much to injure the rotator cuff so it is important to use proper biomechanics when weightlifting and have good form.

Rehab: Strengthening the pecs, middle and upper traps and deltoids can all help stabilize the shoulder and help prevent injury. Wall Angels and shoulder retraction exercises can help with this.

Ankle Sprains

Causes of Ankle Sprain: Ankle sprains most commonly occur when an individual “rolls” their ankle inward. This places stress on the ligaments protecting the ankle joint and can results in instability, pain, and swelling in the area. This can be caused from running, jumping, or from slip and falls.

Treatment: Myofascial release to tolerance, therapeutic ultrasound, cold laser, and muscle stimulation can all help reduce pain and inflammation from the injured area. It is important to receive treatment early so it does not become a chronic issue and effect the mobility of the ankle.

Rehab: Utilizing the RICE technique can help decrease any type of swelling and inflammation. RICE stands for rest, ice, compression, elevation. Once the pain reduces, a person can begin to rehab the ankle on a stationary bike and one legged stands to help with balancing and coordination. Returning too early to playing a sport after an ankle ligament sprain can increase the risk of further injury.

Plantar Fasciitis (Foot Pain)

Causes of Foot Pain: There are a few different causes of plantar fasciitis. Improper footwear, flat feet, sprints, and long runs can all be the culprit of foot pain. This can elicit a sharp and uncomfortable pain underneath the foot which takes time to heal.

Rehab: Proper footwear and changing your shoes every few months can help prevent this injury from occurring. Rolling a frozen water bottle underneath your foot for about 3 minutes can also help along with stretching out the calf muscles.

ACL Sprain

Causes: Generally, a quick pivoting motion, or changing directions quickly, will place stress on the ligament causing it to sprain. A blunt force directly to the knee can also irritate the ACL and cause it to sprain.

Symptoms: When a person sprains their ACL, sometimes a “pop” or “popping” sound can occur generally causing pain and swelling within a 24 hour period. Severe pain and tenderness can be felt in the joint line also causing a decrease range of motion and an “unstable” type of feeling when placing pressure on it or walking.

In all sprains, they are graded 1 to 3 depending on the severity and physical damage.

• Grade 1 = the ligament is stretched, but not torn
• Grade 2 = the ligament is partially torn
• Grade 3 = the ligament is fully torn

Grade 1 sprains is when the ligament is stretched, but not torn. A person can feel pain, tenderness, partial swelling, but does not feel instability around the joint. It can usually take between 2-4 weeks to heal.

Grade 2 sprains is when the ligament is partially torn. There is moderate to severe tenderness and swelling. Full weight bearing is difficult and assistance might be necessary. A Grade 2 sprain can take between 4-12 weeks to heal.

Grade 3 sprains is when there is a full rupture or torn ligament. The ligament has completely town away from the bone and is known as an Avulsion. Immediate pain, tenderness, and swelling is generally felt along with instability. In most cases, Grade 3 sprains need supportive measures due to the complete tear.

Rehab: Initially, rest and ice are very important to help reduce any type of inflammation and swelling. Initiating physical therapy, depending on the grade of the sprain, is often recommended to help heal the region and prevent further damage. Surgery is sometimes needed depending on the severity of the injury.

Jumper’s Knee/ Patellar Tendonitis

Patellar Tendonitis, also known as Jumper’s Knee, is inflammation to the tendon that connects the tibia (shin bone) to the patella (knee cap). It is caused by repetitive stress on the patellar of the quadriceps tendon during jumping. Jumper’s knee generally presents as a dull ache around the knee joint that if not treated early, can potentially become worse and cause more serious injury.

It is most common in athletes participating in jumping sports such as volleyball, track and field, high or long jump, or basketball. Continuation of training with the hopes that the pain will “disappear” can in fact cause extra stress and pressure on the tendon making it worse and a more serious condition.

Symptoms of Jumper’s Knee include pain and discomfort on the bottom portion of the knee cap. This area can become tender, sore, and achy especially when engaging the quadriceps muscle. Jumping ad sprints can also add to the pain eventually making it worse. Jumper’s knee is an overuse injury that can potentially create micro-tears in the tendon.

Contributing factors to cause Jumper’s Knee include poor biomechanics, improper footwear, improper training habits, and weak quadriceps. Receiving proper therapy early can help prevent this issue from becoming worse and causing more serious injury.

Hamstring Pull

Hamstring injuries occur most commonly with sprinting and other sports that require a lot of stress on the legs such as running, jumping, and kicking. The muscle strain happens when the muscle is stretched too far and can vary in severity from Grade 1 (strains) to Grade 3 (tears).

Symptoms: Muscle spasms, tenderness, tightness, and soreness can all be felt when a person has a hamstring muscle strain. One might see swelling and bruising, depending on the severity, as well as a palpable bump on the muscle. A “pop” can sometimes be heard on the back of the thigh with immediate pain afterwards.

Rehab: Beginning with passive therapies, electrical muscle stimulation and therapeutic ultrasound, will help decrease inflammation and aid in the healing process. Incorporating isometric exercises can also be beneficial in helping the muscles contract and at the same time not placing too much force on the joint and muscle. The goal is to reach pre-injury status, so it is advised to follow the treatment plan set forth by your doctor in the progression of stretches and exercises to help rehab the muscle and joint.

Burbank's Top Choice For Chiropractic

Burbank Chiropractor, Dr. Shahen Simian, has been practicing sports chiropractic for years. With an emphasis in Sports Injury, our office is capable of helping athletes get back onto the field quicker and and less pain. If you have recently experienced shoulder, back, or foot pain, contact our office for a sports injury rehab appointment in our Burbank office quickly to get you back onto the field.

If you need Achilles Tendonitis treatment in Burbank, call Dr. Shahen Simian, sports chiropractor specializing in heel, leg, and ankle injuries.