Tips for Preventing Recurrent Sports Injuries

Medical conditions occurring during athletic exercise are referred to as sports injuries. You do not need to be a professional athlete to suffer a sports injury. However, any injury that keeps you from doing the activities you enjoy can be very frustrating. What is even more frustrating is when you fall into a cycle of recurrent sports injuries causing you continual pain and affecting your ability to perform.

Common Recurrent Sports Injuries

Many reoccurring injuries can be prevented through proper treatment, training and addressing underlying causes. It is important to always remember that most injuries can be prevented by properly warming up before undertaking your physical activities.

Recurrent Ankle Sprains

You are at a higher risk of reinjuring  your ankle if you have suffered a previous sprain.

• When the initial injury occurred, your ankle become extremely swollen
• You did not receive proper treatment or physical therapy for the previous injury
• Your treatment included your ankle being in a cast and being on crutches for a prolonged time
• Your ankle did not have enough time to heal before you returned to activity

When a recurrent ankle sprain does occur, it is possible that the ligaments in your ankle did not heal properly. A weakness in the surrounding muscles that provide support to your ankle may also be present.

A sports doctor such as Dr. Howard Marans will provide a thorough assessment to determine if there are underlying factors for recurrent injuries, such as:

• Predisposing factors, such as flat feet or other abnormalities in the foot or ankle
• Impaired function of your brain’s proprioceptive system
• Inappropriate footwear or sports gear

Dr. Marans will determine the course of treatment, which may include exercises, surgical repair or physical therapy. To prevent further sports injuries from occurring, you may be advised in warmup techniques to improve the flexibility in your ankle and footwear or supports that will help provide stability.

Recurrent Hamstring Pain

Pain or tightness in the hamstring area in the back of the thigh does not always mean that you have a strain or tear. Discomfort in the hamstring area is usually caused by:

• Overusing the hamstring because of poor core stability because your gluteal muscles are weak
• Improper warmup or stretching of the hamstring
• Pain stemming from a muscle, joint or disc injury in the back
• Overuse of muscles in the back or pelvic area
• Actual hamstring strain

After determining the underlying cause, Dr. Marans will work with you to develop an individualized treatment plan to loosen your hamstring area to prevent continued pain from pulling or tightening.

Treating Recurrent Sports Injuries

Dr. Howard Marans of OCOrthopedic+ has been treating recurrent sports injuries of Orange County athletes for over 20 years. If you suffer a sports injury, immediate treatment is key to returning you to your sport as quickly as possible and prevent future reinjury. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Marans, please click the icon below or call 714.979.8981.