Concussion Rates Across Sports
Approximately 3.8 million sport-related concussions occur every year in the United States. The CDC estimated that 5-10% of athletes will get a concussion in any given sports season. The majority of these concussions tend to take place during competition rather than practice. The risk of concussion tends to vary between genders and depends on the sport being played.
Concussions are caused by TBI’s (traumatic brain injuries), which occur when the brain is jostled inside the skull, causing trauma to the brain. Based on the definition it is unsurprising that there is a much higher risk of injury in contact sports than in non-contact sports. In fact, contact sports such as football, basketball, and soccer account for 45% of all emergency department visits for sports-related concussions among children 17 and under. According to a recent update from the CDC, the top 10 sports with the highest youth rates of concussion are:
Dancer’s Hip: How to Stop the Snapping
A feeling of popping or snapping in the hip with certain movements is a very common complaint, especially among young athletes. Consistent snapping or popping with pain is a clinical sign of snapping hip syndrome, otherwise known as “dancer’s,” hip. This condition is often seen in athletes who play high-mobility sports but is more prevalent among gymnasts, cheerleaders, and dancers, specifically ballet dancers. Three types of hip snapping that occur include external, internal, and intra-articular. Below are tips to lessen the severity of pain and strategies to prevent the occurrence altogether.
How To Stick the Landing: Landing Mechanics Training for Gymnasts
The Olympic Games have a special way of bringing increased interest, awareness, and excitement to the sport of artistic gymnastics. With Simone Biles’ recorded floor tumbling pass height at the summer 2024 Paris Olympic Games achieving over 12 feet, it is imperative that she and gymnasts of all levels land safely. There are approximately 4.57 million artistic gymnasts in the United States1. As gymnasts progress through the sport, the difficulty of the skills increases, and the skills become more dangerous. Gymnastics has one of the highest rates of injury in any girl’s adolescent sport2. One recent study reported that 91.4% of elite gymnasts sustained at least one injury per season3. Another study reported that approximately 70% of gymnastics injuries occur during landing tasks4.
Hip Impingement In Gymnasts
Gymnasts require a lot of hip mobility to perform their amazing skills. These advanced and dynamic skills can lead to pain in the hip joint that is more than just muscle soreness. Both male and female gymnasts can suffer from hip pain. One common hip condition is hip impingement, and we will discuss what that is as well as important details for gymnasts with hip pain.
What Is Thoracic Outlet Syndrome?
Co-author: Payton Hufnagel, SPT
Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) affects approximately 8% of the population, most commonly women between 20 and 50 years old. In this blog, we’ll discuss the causes and types of TOS, its presentation, and how physical therapy can help those with TOS symptoms get back to doing what they love.
Pickleball Tips to Keep You Strong on The Court
Pickleball has recently taken the news by storm as one of the fastest-growing sports, which means it can lead to potential injury if you’re not proactive.
As a pro pickleball player and a physical therapist, I want to see you on the court, not in my clinic. Therefore, I will outline my favorite tips, which I use personally and with my patients to maintain strength and decrease the likelihood of injury. As an athlete, muscles are essential to perform; they support our joints to promote optimal function while minimizing stress. But you don’t have to be a pro athlete to reap the benefits of a fun and social sport like pickleball! Whether you’re a pickleball prodigy or simply enjoy a game or two on the weekends at your local court, here are three common pickleball injuries to be on the lookout for:
You Tore Your ACL, Now What?
You had the unimaginable happen; you tore your ACL. You probably felt it pop or knew exactly what happened when it happened. Your mind immediately started going 1000 miles per minute, thinking about the worst. “My season is over!” “Will I ever be able to play again?” “What happens next?” All these questions and more are likely swirling through your head, sending anxious thoughts through the roof. ACL tears are quite common in the sports injury world; anywhere from 100,000-200,000 people tear their ACL in a given year. While you may be worried now, this blog will outline steps to help inform your decisions moving forward and determine what will be best for your situation.
Treating A Broken Back In Tumbling Athletes
Tumbling activities put a lot of force through the spine and can put more stress on the lower back in certain circumstances. Tumbling athletes occasionally have an injury and report a “broken back.” What does this really mean? For the purpose of this blog, we will focus on the lower back or lumbar region only. We’ll dive into what a broken back is, and how recovery may look with a goal of returning to tumbling sports such as cheerleading or gymnastics.
