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In addition to protecting vital organs, the bones provide the framework for the form of the body. Tendons connect muscles to bone. Ligaments serve to connect bone or cartilage to bone, creating joints. This system of muscles and connective tissues serves to move the skeleton and, thus, the body. Tendons and ligaments are fibrous in nature. While they are flexible, they tend to be inelastic and vulnerable to overstretching. This is a common orthopaedic injury.
Stress injuries tend to take place over time. This group of soft-tissue injuries is also known as overuse injuries. That is because this type of injury typically has to do with repetitive motions. Tendinitis is the classic example of a repetitive motion stress injury. Sports injury specialists commonly see this soft-tissue injury. As explained by the AAOS, baseball players, golfers, swimmers, and tennis players tend to experience this inflammation of the tendons in their arms and shoulders.
Let’s start with toe walking. Toe walking (which is when children walk on their tip-toes) is incredibly common in children who are learning to walk – particularly in the 2nd year of life. By the time kids turn three the tendency to toe walk fades; however, it does persist in some children. Now, it should be noted that the occasional toe-walking isn’t cause for concern. But, for kids who do it all the time – and especially for those who continue to toe-walk after turning 3 – a visit to the doctor is in order.
What happens when – after those first precious steps are taken – you begin to notice that maybe something isn’t quite right with the way your little one is walking, stepping, or standing…what then?
So, how do you know if you have plantar fasciitis? Well, pain in the bottom of your heel(s) and/or pain in the arch of the foot is a good indicator, as is pain that’s worse after walking once you’ve been off your feet for a while (like first thing in the morning), or pain that continues to increase over the course of time. However, one of the best things that you can do is visit a foot and ankle surgeon who can both examine and diagnose the cause of your pain.
Historically, carpal tunnel syndrome has primarily been attributed to overuse/repetitive motion of the wrist and/or hand. However, it’s felt that, from some patients, carpal tunnel syndrome is more congenital in nature, meaning that some individuals are simply born with smaller carpal tunnels. This means that the median nerve and tendons (which is what allow your fingers to move) pass through a narrow passageway in the wrist called the carpal tunnel which is much smaller for some people.
If you have an acute injury, you need to ice it for the first 48 hours. Ice reduces inflammation and swelling and also alleviates pain. Put an ice pack on the injury for 10-15 minutes. Do this every two or three hours for the first two days.
Sprains occur when you tear or stretch a ligament. If the joint remains stable, you’ll be diagnosed with a mild sprain. The sprain is moderate if the ligament has a slight tear, creating instability in the joint. Severe sprains are diagnosed when the ligament tears and is no longer connected to the bone. This makes it impossible for the joint to function.
Cheerleading seems like a safe sport for kids and adults alike. What could be safer than rooting the home team onto victory? In reality, cheerleading is among one of the most dangerous sports in the world. Cheerleaders often attempt dangerous stunts such as backflips and tosses. If something goes wrong, cheerleaders can break bones and suffer from concussions.
Stress fractures are small, incomplete breaks to the bone. These fractures present as small cracks in the bone, and while the break is small, a stress fracture is still very uncomfortable. If you have a stress fracture, you are likely experiencing pain, weakness, and swelling. Your symptoms might be mild or severe, depending on the location of the stress fracture.