The International Olympic Committee Defines A Sports Injury As:

  'Damage to the tissues of the body that occurs as a result of sport or exercise.' 

If you play a sport or are active, you have probably experienced a sports injury.

They can be acute or nagging, irritating or painful, and frustrating to incapacitating.

Dr. Freitag has years of experience treating sports injuries, leading physical rehabilitation, and coaching sports strength and conditioning.  He can guide you from the sidelines to your local Twin Cities field, court, diamond, rink, or links as soon as possible. 

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Types of Sports Injuries Include:

Injuries to Soft Tissues (Ligaments, Muscles, and Tendons)

  • Ligament Sprain - Ligaments function to connect the ends of bones to form stable joints that allow motion.  When a joint is stressed beyond its normal range of motion (ROM), damage to the ligament occurs.  
  • Muscle / Tendon Strain - Muscles and the tendons that attach them to bones function by contracting and relaxing to provide tension on bones resulting in movement.  When a body part and or joint is stressed beyond its normal ROM or physical capacity, injuries and even tears can occur in the muscle or tendon. 
  • Tendonopathy or Tendinitis - These conditions refer to chronic injury to a tendon that develops from overuse over time.    
  • Dislocations - These injuries occur when the end of a bone slips out of its normal position in relation to another bone.  When a body part is moved in a specific direction, and the pressure applied forces a joint past its normal ROM, damage occurs to the supporting ligaments, and the bone can slip out of place.  

 Injuries to Bones or Cartilage

  • Arthritis - The ends of our long bones have a protective covering called articular cartilage.  This cartilage provides a smooth surface that acts as a shock absorber for the bone.  When dislocations, sprains, strains, and everyday wear over time occur, damage to this cartilage can occur.  Over time, the wearing down of this covering leads to osteoarthritis.
  • Fractures - or 'broken bones' can result from a direct force, an indirect force, or more minor repetitive impacts (stress fractures).

 

Causes Of Sports Injuries Include:

  • Poor physical conditioning

  • Improper shoes or equipment

  • Lack of warm-up / stretching 

  • Overuse or overtraining

  • Contact or collision injuries

  • Pushing your body beyond its physical limits

Sports Injuries Are Classified As 'Acute' Or 'Chronic'

Acute Injuries:

  • Occur suddently to previously normal healthy tissue

  • Due to sudden trauma or force to the tissue

  • Forces incurred exceed the strength of the tissue

  • Symptoms present almost immediately

 

Examples Include:

  • Dislocations

  • Fractures

  • Ligament Sprains or Tears

  • Muscle Strains or Tears

 

 

Chronic Injuries:

  • Occur gradually over time. 

  • Due to repetative loading and stressing of the tissue

  • Repetative loading exceeds body's capacity to heal and recover

  • Symptoms present gradually over time   

 

Examples Include:

  • Stress Fractures

  • Plantar Fasciitis

  • Shin Splints

  • Tendonitis

  • Arthritis

  • Bursitis

Sports Injury Treatment Process at Freitag Family Chiropractic in Bloomington, MN

  1. We begin by conducting a thorough history of your injury and review any prior imaging (x-ray, MRI, CT scan). 

  2. We evaluate your movement patterns and identify your limitations. (Some sports injuries have an underlying cause often located away from the area in pain.)  

  3. We diagnose your injury or confirm a diagnosis presented by a medical doctor or physical therapist.

  4. We perform soft tissue myofascial massage/mobilization, comprehensive chiropractic treatment, and prescribe sports rehabilitation exercises. 

  5. We constantly evaluate your progress and look to get you safely back in action as soon as possible. 

 

FIND OUT ABOUT OUR SPORTS INJURY REHAB SERVICES