Sports Injury Care at Precision PT & Sports Medicine
Proudly serving the Tempe, Mesa, Scottsdale and Chandler communities.
Did you sustain an injury training for a marathon, practicing yoga or jumping onto a box in CrossFit? Precision PT & Med can deliver the relief from pain you need, tailoring your care to your injury. The beauty of chiropractic care is that it reduces the duration of an injury and restores the body to pain-free functionality—FAST! Experience a more complete range of motion, decreased soreness and stiffness, and improved nervous and immune system health once treatments begin. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to fitness and there shouldn’t be one when it comes to healing your injury.
Not Just For Athletes
One of the ironies of a “Sports Injury” is that you don’t have to be Tiger Woods to suffer from Golfer’s Elbow. Bulging discs, a torn rotator cuff, ligament damage, a torn meniscus, spinal injuries, shoulder pain, tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and tennis elbow can happen to even the least active among us. However, the risks of developing these conditions, and a host of others, increases dramatically when we put our bodies through the repetitive motions, high impact movements, hard stops and starts, twists, and pivots associated with many sports activities.
Because special attention is given to the spine, joints, muscles, tendons, and nerves in a chiropractic care setting, seeking treatment from a chiropractor is the most natural solution for athletes, both professional and amateur. Chiropractic care ensures that all pieces of the musculoskeletal system are working in harmony and with proficiency; Furthermore, at Precision Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine, we offer a multitude of healing modalities, depending on the specific injury.
We should all strive to avoid surgery and drugs, but athletes especially seek out alternatives to these standard solutions because they need to repair the underlying issue or risk re-injury. Chiropractic care reduces the duration of an injury and restores the body to pain-free functionality. Better still, you will enjoy a more complete range of motion, decreased soreness and stiffness, and improved nervous and immune system health once treatments begin. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to fitness, and there shouldn’t be one when it comes to healing your injury.
Whether you are a weekend warrior, professional athlete, marathon runner, enthusiastic Zumba dancer, formerly flexible yoga practitioner, weightlifter, long distance bike rider, casual jogger, Tough Mudder, or avid helicopter skier, with us, you will receive the expertise of providers who specialize in sports injuries.
We tailor your care to your injury.
Common Injuries
Our chiropractors and technicians can treat many types of sports injuries. We see patients with abrupt on-set injuries (acute), such as sprains and strains as well as long-term (chronic) injuries, that have developed over an extended period. In our office, runners are often relieved to discover tools for healing a runner’s knee, plantar fasciitis, or shin splints. Golfers and tennis players regularly discover that a chiropractor is able to ease pain or discomfort experienced in the wrist, elbow, shoulder, or neck.
Don’t ignore an exercise injury or pain; seek proper diagnosis and treatment immediately.
At Precision Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine, our comprehensive sports medicine program diagnoses and treats exercise injuries such as:
- Achilles tendon injury
- Any type of tendonitis
- Back pain and neck pain
- Bone spurs
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)
- Frozen shoulder or shoulder instability
- Groin injury
- Hip flexor strain
- Knee injury
- Plantar fasciitis
- Rotator cuff injuries
- Shin splints and stress fractures
- Sprain/strain of ligament, muscle, joint or tendon
- Tennis elbow and golf elbow
- …and many more
Golfer's Elbow
Occurring when you use your hands and fingers for repetitive tasks, Golfer’s Elbow (medial epicondylitis) is a condition that causes pain on the inside of the elbow and forearm. The name “golfer’s elbow” would lead one to think it is exclusive to golfers; However, typing, texting, mousing, playing video games, and rock climbing are all contributors as well. Golfer’s elbow can make simple things like gripping with your hand quite painful.
Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) is caused by strained tendons. This type of injury develops due to overuse of arm, forearm, and hand muscles. Pain caused by tennis elbow typically appears where the muscles and tendons of the forearm attach to the outside bony area (the lateral epicondyle) of the elbow. Often, the pain also spreads to the forearm and wrist.
Though the name tennis elbow is derived from the fact that it is a common condition among tennis players, anyone from athletes to those who work in positions that require active, repetitive wrist movement, such as mechanics and carpenters, can suffer from tennis elbow.
Symptoms of tennis elbow can include:
- Recurring pain that slowly increases around the outside of the elbow
- Increased pain when straightening or extending the elbow
- Worsening pain during common activities using the wrist
- Pain caused by grasping or lifting
Thrower’s Shoulder
Shoulder impingement occurs when the group of muscles and tendons that stabilize the shoulder joint (the rotator cuff) become inflamed and cause pain. Typically what happens is, a muscle gets “pinched” in between two bones, (the humeral head and the acromion process) and the small protective sack that sits on top of the rotator cuff tendon, called the “bursa,” gets inflamed. This condition goes by several names: impingement, bursitis of the shoulder, or rotator cuff tendonitis.
Also referred to as “thrower’s shoulder,“ shoulder impingement can adversely affect the rest of the arm if left untreated. Clear symptoms of shoulder impingement include discomfort, weakness, numbness, tingling, diminished range of motion, loss of mobility, and pain that can be localized in the shoulder or extend down the arm.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is usually caused by repetitive and/or forceful movements, resulting in swelling around the tendons and squeezing of the median nerve—one of the major nerves to the hand. The name comes from the carpal bones in the wrist that form a tunnel around the nerve leading to the hand. The swelling takes up space in the carpal tunnel and, over time, crowds the nerve. This abnormal pressure on the nerve can result in pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness in the hand.
CrossFit Injuries
We see many CrossFit injuries at Precision Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine. Generally, one of the first complaints we will see are shin injuries from jumping exercises. As our patients continue pursuing CrossFit activities, we will start to see low back issues, usually from improper alignment or improper form during exercise. Patients who come to our office with shoulder impingement pain reveal during their examination that they also happen to practice CrossFit. It is one of the most popular and effective exercise programs in the country. However, because of CrossFit’s high level of intensity, injuries of the shoulders, upper body, low back, and knees are common if exercises are not performed in the proper form. Prompt treatment of CrossFit injuries is essential. As with most injuries of this type, without proper care, the injuries will become more severe if not treated.
Our Approach to Treatment
Fortunately, you don’t have to be a pro athlete to benefit from the extremely successful remedies used by professional athletes such as Peyton Manning, Jack Nicklaus, Rafael Nadal, Steph Curry, and many others. The pressure professional athletes put on their soft tissues, joints, and bones is often quite extreme and when it comes to healing their injuries, most approach their rehabilitation with the same intensity as they do their sport. For a person whose paycheck depends on their ability to perform, they are committed to solving the problem, not masking the symptoms. That’s why they seek Amniotic Fluid Injection, Spinal Decompression, Active Release Techniques, Kinesio Taping, and more.
Golfer's Elbow
Golfer’s Elbow can be treated using a combination of chiropractic, physical therapy, Active Release Technique, and/or joint injections. Our multi-pronged approach eliminates pain more quickly than a single, stand-alone therapy. Our goal is to get you back to the activities that add to the quality of your life as quickly as possible.
For Golfer’s Elbow treatment to be effective, three things need to be accomplished: Break up scar tissue, reduce inflammation, and return the elbow joint and muscles in the forearm to normal function. Active Release Techniqueâ does a fantastic job with accomplishing the first goal. It’s great for comfortably breaking up scar tissue and reducing inflammation, which is why it’s considered the Gold Standard for soft tissue treatment. Chiropractic can help return mobility to your elbow, reducing pain and stiffness. Kinesio Tape can also reduce pain while supporting your elbow during a return to activity.
Your chiropractor will also examine the spinal segments of the neck. Misalignment in the neck may cause imbalances in the muscles of the forearm and wrist, contributing to Golfer’s Elbow. If there is a spinal segment misalignment in the neck, it will be eased back into place using a specific chiropractic adjustment.
Tennis Elbow
If the only treatment available for Tennis Elbow was icing and immobilization, professional athletes would be sidelined a great deal of the time. Fortunately, just as the pros have terrific recovery options, so do you. These newer techniques typically produce far better results than the medical community can achieve through anti-inflammatory drugs or steroid injections.
When a patient presents with complaints that point to Tennis Elbow, as always, we take a full history and seek to rule out other potential diagnoses, including synovitis, osteochondritis dissecans, ligament tears, Posterior Interosseous Nerve compression syndrome, arthritis, or bone fractures. From there we can assess and plan the most effective course of action which may include Active Release Technique, Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM) Graston Technique, Myofascial Manipulation, Cross Fiber Massage, Dry Needling, or joint injections.
Shoulder Impingement
Each injury is unique, but generally with this inflammation-driven injury we recommend physical therapy and/or the use of a local, anti-inflammatory injection into the shoulder. We want to decrease the inflammation in the rotator cuff so that it will not get “pinched,” and as the inflammation decreases, so will the damage to your rotator cuff tendons.
Another effective treatment for shoulder impingement is Active Release Technique® (ART). It was first used by Dr. P. Michael Leahy, a chiropractor, to treat elite athletes and has since been used to treat a wide range of soft tissue conditions and injuries. ART® isolates the area, breaking up scar tissue and restoring proper blood flow to promote healing. During treatment, the area is manipulated to remove adhesions and scar tissue, which can be the cause of some shoulder impingement conditions.
Additionally, Kinesio Taping is often used to help support injured muscles in the body to promote healing. The tape gives the injured muscle some extra structure while still allowing the muscles surrounding the injury to move freely.
Exercise Injury Prevention
Healthy, flexible muscles and joints that are properly aligned are less likely to become sprained, strained, or injured.
At Precision Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine our focus on prevention is second to none. Through an exhaustive musculoskeletal analysis prior to participation, sports medicine prevention strategies can identify dysfunctions that could lead to an exercise injury and pain in the future. Our treatments and advice can significantly enhance your performance, reduce your risk of exercise injury, and further your enjoyment of your sport or activity.
If practiced too frequently, most athletic activities will result in overuse of muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Everyday wear and tear to the soft-tissues of the body can eventually lead to the breakdown of tissue integrity and ultimately result in injury. Implementing a proactive approach to physical activity to prevent injuries is the best practice to ensure that your body is equipped to deliver for you on the court, field, course, or in the gym.
Medical & Physical Therapy Care Facilities
About the Team
The goal of Precision Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine is to provide an exceptional quality of care in a friendly and compassionate environment and to exceed your expectations each and every time we see you. If you’re utilizing health insurance benefits let us mitigate the communication between you and your insurance carrier and do our best to lessen the burden on you. Let us welcome you and your family and join our team of top healthcare providers in helping you make the rest of your life the best of your life. Isn’t it time to live pain free without the potential side effects of harmful drugs and unnecessary surgeries?
About The Team
The goal of Precision Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine is to provide an exceptional quality of care in a friendly and compassionate environment and to exceed your expectations each and every time we see you. If you’re utilizing health insurance benefits let us mitigate the communication between you and your insurance carrier and do our best to lessen the burden on you. Let us welcome you and your family and join our team of top healthcare providers in helping you make the rest of your life the best of your life. Isn’t it time to live pain free without the potential side effects of harmful drugs and unnecessary surgeries?