Top Five Sports Injuries and How to Treat Them

Staying active is incredibly rewarding, but sports injuries can often get in the way of doing what we love. Whether you are hitting the trails, pushing yourself in the gym, or just out for a run, injuries can stop you right in your tracks. At Hein Viljoen Physiotherapy, we are here to help you recover and get back to peak performance as quickly as possible.

In this post, we will cover the top five sports injuries we see at our practice and the steps we take to treat them – and most importantly, what we do to make sure the niggles stay away.
‍

1. Iliotibial Band (ITB) Syndrome  

The problem: ITB syndrome is a pesky injury that commonly affects runners and cyclists. The IT band is a tendon running along the outside of your thigh. With repeated movements, like running, it can become irritated, causing pain around the knee.

Symptoms:

• Pain on the outside of the knee, especially after a run or bike ride.
• Tenderness along the thigh’s outer edge.

Our plan: We take a hands-on approach to help you manage ITB pain and prevent it from flaring up. Treatment often includes:

• Manual therapy to release tension and reduce inflammation.
• Dry needling of the hip and thigh muscles to relieve pain.
• Stretching and strengthening exercises to reduce strain on the IT band and strengthen your hips, core, glutes, and quads.

Prevention tip: Gradually increasing the intensity of your activities can help avoid irritation of the IT band.

2. Ankle Sprain  

The problem: A classic injury for athletes of all kinds, an ankle sprain happens when the ligaments around the ankle get overstretched or torn, usually from a sudden fall or twist.

Symptoms:

• Swelling, bruising, and pain around the ankle.
• Difficulty bearing weight on the injured foot.

Our plan: Ankle sprains can be frustratingly slow to heal without the right treatment, but we will help you through each phase of recovery.

• Strapping will keep your ankle stable and prevent it from moving excessively while it heals.
• Mobility exercises to help you regain your ankle’s range of motion.
• Gradual return-to-activity plans so you can get back to your favourite sports with confidence and lower risk of re-sprain. 

Prevention tip: Regularly doing balance exercises and strengthening your ankle can improve stability and help prevent future sprains.

3. Achilles Tendonitis  

The problem: Achilles tendonitis affects the tendon connecting your calf to your heel bone. This injury is common among runners, tennis players, and dancers, all of whom put a lot of stress on the Achilles.

Symptoms:

• Pain and tenderness along the back of your ankle, often worst after exercise.
• Swelling around the tendon.
• Stiffness, especially in the morning.

Our plan: We treat Achilles tendonitis with a combination of strengthening and hands-on techniques:

• Soft tissue therapy to release tension in your calves and promote blood flow.
• Stretching to keep the tendon and surrounding muscles flexible.
• Exercises (such as calf raises) to build tendon strength gradually.
• Shockwave therapy, especially for chronic cases, to stimulate healing and ease inflammation. 

Prevention tip: Gradually increasing the intensity of your workouts, rather than jumping into high-impact activities, is essential for protecting your Achilles tendon. Regular calf strengthening exercises are also great preventative tools.

4. Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis) 

The problem: You don’t have to play tennis to get tennis elbow! This injury is the result of repetitive wrist and arm movements that strain the tendons around your elbow, causing pain and weakness.

Symptoms:

• Pain on the outer part of your elbow that can radiate down the forearm.
• Difficulty gripping objects due to weakened grip strength.
• Pain when lifting or twisting your wrist.

Our plan: Our approach to treating tennis elbow focuses on relieving pain and rebuilding strength:

• Stretching to ease tension in the tendons gently.
• Manual therapy to reduce inflammation.
• Dry needling, where appropriate, to relieve pain and improve mobility in stubborn cases.
• Shockwave therapy to stimulate tissue healing and decrease elbow stiffness.

Prevention tip: Take breaks during repetitive tasks and vary your movements. Strengthening your forearm and wrist muscles with resistance exercises can also help reduce the risk of developing tennis elbow.

5. Runner’s Knee (Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome)  

The problem: Runner’s knee is a catch-all term for pain around the kneecap, which can affect runners, cyclists, and anyone doing repetitive knee-bending activities. It’s usually caused by muscle imbalances or repetitive stress.

Symptoms:

• Pain around or behind the kneecap, often during activities like squats or going downstairs.
• Popping or grinding sensation in the knee.

Our plan: Runner’s knee responds well to a carefully crafted physiotherapy programme. Our treatments often include:

• Kinesio taping to support the kneecap and relieve pain.
• Strengthening exercises for the muscles that support knee alignment, like the quads, glutes, and hips.
• Stretching to reduce tension in the muscles around your knee.

Prevention tip: Consistently strengthen your quads, glutes, and hip muscles to support the knee joint. Proper footwear can also go a long way in preventing runner’s knee.

Our bodies aren't machines, but even so, we sometimes just need a jump start to get back on track. Hein Viljoen Physioteraphy is here to help you. Contact us to build your recovery plan.