School’s Back In Session—and So Are Sports Injuries

Around the country, many schools and school districts have returned to some type of “normal” and that means in-person classes and sports. Integrated Pain Consultants saw a spike in sports injuries during the summer months, and that was often due to people taking the initiative to keep in shape even as gyms and options like intramural leagues closed. Working out for the first time by yourself and modifying organized sports into one-person attempts understandably led to an increase in certain types of sports injuries. Now that some people are back to organized sports, we’re starting to see another kind of spike in sports injuries.

It makes sense that after six months of not being able to stick to scheduled practices, games, or even structured recesses that our bodies got used to a new type of normal. If you or your child has recently restarted a sports program, be careful about doing too much too soon. Sports injuries can happen to anyone, but they are especially common after a break. One of the most common injuries we have seen of late is tennis injuries, which are often repetitive stress injuries.

Sports Injuries to Watch Out For

Tennis injuries don’t tend to spike in most parts of the country as we move into autumn, but Arizona is different. These relatively cooler months are prime season for tennis, especially if you like to play outdoors. Tennis has been one of the “safer” sports during a pandemic since social distancing is easy to achieve in this setting. If you’ve developed a passion for tennis in recent months, make sure to break up your sessions with other activities that don’t require such constant stress on the elbow.

Tennis is also a common cause of knee pain due to moving in planes that aren’t common in daily life. Of course, knee pain is also common in runners (another popular activity during the pandemic). You’ll also find that knee pain is a common complaint in virtually any team sport, including football. Since football season is now in full swing, you’ll want to watch for any painful twinges and see a pain specialist at the first hint of injury.

STAYING IN THE GAME

IT band syndrome is one of the most common sports injuries. It’s caused by overuse of the connective tissue located on the outer knee and thigh. Abruptly returning to team sports, intramural leagues, or ramping up your COVID solo workouts can all lead to IT pain. It’s also regularly found in basketball players, and since basketball season is nearly here, that’s an injury you want to watch out for. If you’re struggling with a sports injury, there is help beyond medication and surgery. Schedule a detailed evaluation with Integrated Pain Consultants today by calling (480) 626-2552.