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Rolling Your Way To Injury Prevention: The Benefits Of Foam Rollers

What looks like a rolled up yoga mat could actually be the smartest purchase you’ve ever made as an athlete. You can infer a lot about a foam roller just from its name. It’s a large piece of foam shaped into a cylindrical “roller.” Not convinced yet? Read below for more information about what this funny, yet ingenious tool can do for you.

What Does a Foam Roller Do?

Essentially the foam roller works to massage your body, lessen muscle pain and improve blood flow. The key is that you use your own body weight work out the “kinks” and sore spots, in your legs, back, shoulders and arms.

There are numerous ways you can use the roller to your benefit. Consider these advantages:

• Foam rollers work to break down scar tissue and soft tissue adhesion.
• A foam roller can help relieve muscle tightness or inflexibility.
• The roller massages away the buildup of fascia (soft tissues just below the skin) to help prevent injury.
• A foam roller works out areas of tightness that limit your range of motion and keep you from performing your best.
• This tool helps relieve stress. Think of a session with the foam roller as being comparable to a deep tissue massage.
• It’s hard to maintain flexibility when your muscles are tight or tense. Using the foam roller before stretching helps warm up and roll out tension, making those stretching sessions all the more impactful.

If you or a loved one experience leg pain that a foam roller can’t help, please contact Matthew Boes M.D. for pain relief and repair.

Tips For Safe Workouts In Cold Weather

Do you stick to your workout rain or shine? What about snow, sleet and record low temperatures? Follow these simple cold weather workout tips to keep you on track and encouraged, even during the coldest of mornings:

• Wear a hat. Your body can lose a lot of its heat storage if your head is left uncovered.
• Always wear layers so that if you start to overheat you can shed excess clothing. Your first layer should always be some sort of lightweight material that repels water, keeping sweat away from your body and you dry.
• Hydrate. It may be more difficult to notice your body becoming dehydrated in winter, so be sure to track fluid intake during your workout..
• Wear shoes with good traction that help prevent slips on ice or slick surfaces. And, as always, watch where you step!
• Protect the face. Wearing some kind of active scarf or face wrap can help warm up the air you breathe in before it enters your lungs. It can also protect your face from wind-burn and frostbite.
• Warm-ups are more important than ever when it’s cold outside. Try starting your warm-up inside and finishing it outside, giving your muscles time to adjust. Little breaks during the first half of your warm-up can also help.
• Keep an eye on the forecast. Rain and freezing temperatures are not the best workout conditions! Knowing the forecast will help you set temperature limits for yourself as you come to terms with what is and is not okay with your body.

If you hurt yourself while exercising in the cold, contact Matthew Boes M.D. to ease the pain!

Achilles Tendon Rupture: An Athlete’s Achilles’ Heel

Your Achilles tendon serves to connect your heel bone to your calf muscle and plays an important role in many of your daily motions: walking, jumping, running all depend on a healthy and functioning Achilles tendon. The tendon is vulnerable to injury, most commonly a rupturing or tearing of the tendon.

What Can Cause An Achilles Tendon To Rupture?

Certain things can put you at risk for experiencing an Achilles tendon rupture. Recreational athletes are particularly more susceptible to the injury, with men being five times more likely than women to experience it. Although the tear can result from a forceful trauma to the back of the heel, it is most often caused by a sudden flexing of the ankle, as can happen during sports play. This same motion can occur as a result of a trip, fall or jump. Below are some ways you can lessen your risk of experiencing a ruptured Achilles tendon.

• Stretching and strengthening calf muscles helps relieve the strain on the Achilles tendon and increase its range of motion. A strong Achilles tendon is nothing without strong calf muscles to back it!
• As always, be careful of where and what surfaces you are running on. Smooth running surfaces are the key to safety.
• Beware of the “weekend warrior effect” which is commonly seen as a cause of Achilles tendon injuries – i.e. when usually sedentary individuals suddenly place undue stress on the tendon during “pick up” sports or other rare recreational activity.

Treatment of Achilles Tendon Rupture

An Achilles tendon rupture will present itself as a sudden, stabbing pain in the back of the ankle with difficulty walking after the injury. There may be swelling, and a gap that can be felt just above the heel. Your doctor may have you lie down and try to engage your calf muscle; if your foot doesn’t flex automatically it’s assumed your tendon has ruptured. Treatments for a ruptured tendon include:

• Surgery that stitches the tendon back together.
• Wearing a cast and allowing your tendon to heal back together on its own over time.

The specific treatment selected depends on many factors, such as age, usual activity level, and associated medical conditions. If you suspect an Achilles tendon injury, call Matthew Boes M.D. early so that appropriate evaluation and treatment may be instituted.

Stretches For The Throwing Athlete

Maintaining flexibility and range of motion are crucial for avoiding shoulder problems in overhead athletes. Whether you’re used to throwing a football or baseball, or if you regularly play sports like tennis or volleyball, stretching the muscles and ligaments in your shoulder helps to maintain healthy mechanics in the shoulder joint and can prevent injury from overuse. Try the following stretches if you’re looking to avoid lost innings or weekend pick up games.

• Stand straight and place the back of your hand in the middle of your back. Your elbow should be pointing straight out at your side. Reaching around with your opposite hand, gently pull your elbow towards the front of your body. This will stretch the muscles of your shoulder.
• Place the side of your hand in the middle of your back and push it upwards till it is between your shoulder blades. Try to get it as high as you can up your back without it causing pain.
• Lift your arm so that it is forming a 90 degree angle at your side, bent at the elbow, palm facing forward. Hold the handle of a broomstick with your lifted hand, behind your elbow. Wrap your other arm over the front of your body and grab the bottom of the broomstick with the opposite hand. Pull the broom forward. You should feel a comfortable stretch in the back of your shoulder.
• Stand next a wall and completely extend one arm behind you, parallel with the floor, palm flat on the wall. Gently twist your body away from the hand on the wall and feel a stretch in your chest and shoulder.

Remember, throwing and other overhead sports place repetitive and excessive stress on your shoulder. The stretches listed above are meant to be done as a preventative measure to help avoid problems and allow you to continue to enjoy these kinds of sports activities pain-free over time. Call orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Matthew T. Boes today for more information and learn how we can help you.

Certain Athletes More Likely To Injure Their ACL

Studies show that anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in the knee are more common among high-school age athletes. Research shows this may be due to muscle imbalance and coordination issues in developing adolescent knees. A recent study in the Journal of Athletic Training focused on ACL injuries in this group of patients and yielded the following results:

• Girls are more likely to experience an ACL injury than boys – up to 8 times more likely. Research on this topic suggests that this may be due to hormonal differences between boys and girls, as well as differences in body structure, and different muscle firing patterns around the knee during activities such as jumping or a sudden change in direction as possible causes.
• ACL injuries are most common in football. Football players are more likely than any other athlete to injure their ACL.
• However, these injuries are also common in what are often thought of as “non-contact” sports – those that don’t involve tackling or other excessive impact. The second and third sport most common sports for ACL injuries were women’s soccer and basketball, respectively.

The study also showed that high school athletes far more likely to experience an ACL injury during a game than during a practice.

This particular study took place over the course of 5 years and studied more than 100 high schools, and eight different sports. During that time there were 617 ACL injuries. The high rate of ACL injuries in this age group continues to be worrisome for orthopaedic surgeons who feel the injury can, at least, be partially prevented through better warm-up and training programs that focus on developing specific muscle strength and coordination. Several areas of research have shown that employing ACL prevention programs as part of a team’s regular practice regimen can decrease the incidence of these injuries in young athletes, particularly with regard to non-contact injuries in young female athletes.

It is important that parents and athletes are aware of the risk of ACL injuries in their particular sport. Always ask your coach or athletic trainer for injury prevention tips and if you’re suffering with an ACL injury call Dr. Matthew T. Boes for more information on how we can help you.

Dealing With Bursitis: What Is Bursitis And How Can It Be Treated?

Bursitis is a common condition that affects active patients. Simply, “bursitis” results from pain and irritation in a structure called the “bursa.” Bursae are normal structures that are found in many areas throughout the body, particularly around moving parts of the body, such as joints, ligaments, and tendons. Bursae typically provide an essential lubricating function, helping tissue slide smoothly around the body’s many moving parts. Often due to injury or overuse, these bursae can become inflamed and swollen resulting in painful and restricted motion in the involved body part. Areas that are commonly afflicted by burisitis include the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, and ankle. Most cases of bursitis are treated very effectively through non-surgical methods. Consider these tips if you feel you may be afflicted with a case of bursitis. If pain persists, consult your doctor for further evaluation.

• Rest– Most cases of bursitis that come from overuse are successfully resolved with simple rest or avoidance of the aggravating activity.  If certain body motions or activities cause pain, make a conscious effort to avoid them, such as avoiding excessive overhead motion with an afflicted shoulder or avoiding excessive gripping and lifting with a sore and painful wrist.  Use of a sling or splint may be helpful for a few days to rest to involved area.

• Ice– Applying a cold pad or ice pack to the painful area for 15-20 minutes 3-4 times per day can help directly relieve pain from inflammation.  Avoid using heat in these instances.

• Anti-inflamatories– Common over-the-counter medicine, such as Alleve or Advil, used regularly for 5-7 days can be effective in relieving pain and swelling from bursitis.  Use the medicine as instructed on the bottle, and be sure to use it regularly for several days.

• Physical Therapy– Most cases of bursitis result from overuse of the involved body part.  Therapy exercises can be helpful in restoring normal muscle function in the area, or in alleviating tightness in involved ligaments or tendons.

• Cortisone injections– Cortisone is a steroid anti-inflammatory medicine that can be injected into the involved area with minimal risk of side effects if used properly.  Cortisone injections can lead to immediate relief of pain and swelling in the bursa.  Oftentimes, cortisone can help relieve pain to a point that a patient can then start therapy exercises that will relieve the problem long-term.

Call Dr. Matthew T. Boes orthopaedic surgeon today!

Safety Battle: Artificial V. Natural Turf

There are numerous ways to approach the debate concerning artificial and natural surfaces when it comes to playing sports. Which is better for the environment? Which is cheaper? For athletes, the biggest concern is often how the surface feels and whether or not the surface puts them at greater risk of injury.

Which Surface And Why?

When it comes to the safety of artificial and natural turf you can find studies leaning either way, backed, no doubt, by competing agendas.

• A recent study published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine showed that female soccer players experienced fewer injuries on FieldTurf, a type of artificial turf, than those who played on natural grass surfaces. Although the reason for this is not entirely clear, researchers believe it may have something to do with the consistent surface that FieldTurf brings.

• Another study which analyzed FieldTurf, kept track of the injuries college football players endured and found that these athletes were twice as likely to experience a serious injury on natural grass than they were on FieldTurf, which is used on the majority of NFL fields.

• Older studies showed that some brands of artificial turf failed to mimic the shock absorption of grass, making it more dangerous and more likely to cause injury.

While earlier types of artificial surfaces were considered less safe than natural grass because of how they were formulated, companies have since learned to anticipate these problems. Artificial surface is now considered the safer option because it is guaranteed to be flat, while natural surfaces may have unexpected divots and mounds.

Whichever surface you prefer, never settle for a subpar othopaedic surgeon. Call Dr. Matthew T. Boes today!

Not Dead Yet: Shoulder Instability Or “Dead Arm Syndrome”

The repetitive motion of over-arm throwing that baseball pitchers consistently endure can put a significant amount of strain on an athlete’s shoulder. Because the shoulder joints are relatively “loose” to begin with, it’s not hard to overuse or injure them.

What Is Dead Arm Syndrome?

Often, shoulder instability can lead to lessened ability to use the arm, weakness or temporary numbness known as “dead arm.” The sufferer may feel as though his or her arm is hanging from the body as deadweight. Although, this is usually a momentary sensation that quickly passes, it is a key symptom of shoulder instability. Other symptoms include:

• Painful clicking or popping in the shoulder

• Pain with specific activities, such as throwing a ball

• Numbness or tingling may be felt radiating from the shoulder into the hand

While certain types of activities (baseball, tennis, swimming) can cause instability in the shoulder, some patients may simply develop this condition due to natural “loose jointedness” in their shoulder. In these patients, some type of activity may aggravate the shoulder and lead to the onset of pain and dysfunction.

Treating Shoulder Instability

The hallmark of treatment for this condition is rehabilitation. Focused exercises, supervised by a physical therapist, and then conducted mostly at home can help strengthen the shoulder muscles and alleviate symptoms.  Rarely, patients require surgery to overcome this condition. Surgery involves tightening the ligaments around the shoulder to regain normal function.

Call orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Matthew T. Boes today and schedule an appointment.

Don’t Stress: The Rundown On Stress Fractures

Even the strongest bones aren’t always capable of absorbing the repetitive shock of jumping and running. Whether you are a high school basketball player, 40-year-old runner, or collegiate gymnast, all active people are susceptible to a stress fracture. Stress fractures are areas of weakness in the bone that come about from repetitive impact (e.g., jogging on pavement 5 times a week) or a sudden change in activity (e.g., starting a new exercise program).  These fractures are most commonly seen in the leg, ankle or foot, and although smaller and less serious than major fractures they still cause the sufferer pain and impede activity.

What Are The Symptoms Of A Stress Fracture?

The most common symptoms of a stress fracture are:

• Pain, acute tenderness and swelling at the site of the injury which is more pronounced during physical activity.
• If you have a stress fracture and continue to exercise, symptoms will begin sooner in your workout and last long after its completion.

Treatment Of Stress Fractures

The only true way to allow the stress fracture to heal is to avoid the activity that caused it.  If you think your running routine has resulted in a stress fracture, lay off your daily runs and instead cross-train with lower impact activities, such as hopping on the stationary bike or swimming laps. Additionally, anti-inflammatories and ice can help manage the pain and swelling.

If you think you could be suffering from a stress fracture or another injury call Dr. Matthew T. Boes orthopaedic surgeon today and schedule an appointment.

What Does Yoga Promise Beyond Flexibility?

You’ve probably heard that yoga helps develop flexibility which can increase your range of motion and allow you more freedom when engaging in physical activity. Well you heard correctly! If you’re not looking to increase flexibility, however, you may have passed it up in the past. We hope you’re surprised to hear that yoga can offer a slew of other benefits.

Reasons To Consider Incorporating Yoga Into Your Routine

• Yoga, a practice that incorporates both physical and mental discipline, offers numerous non-physical benefits like stress reduction and better stress management, general relaxation and relief from chronic anxiety. It lowers both your blood pressure and heart rate.

• Yoga helps build stronger muscles.

• Regularly practicing teaches you how to monitor and control your breathing during physical activity.

• Yoga helps in developing awareness of your posture and positioning of your body, which you can apply to sports or other physical activities.

• Yoga, when appropriate, as a physical therapy to aid in recovery from a musculoskeletal injury can help accelerate recovery by strengthening muscles that haven’t been used for awhile and loosening tight ones.

• Yoga can relieve the pain associated with chronic issues like arthritis and build up muscles to prevent flare-ups.

If you’re thinking about working yoga into your workout sit in on a couple of classes till you find an instructor or type of yoga that seems appealing and appropriate for you. Then slowly begin your practice, giving yourself a break when needed and talking to an instructor if you have any issues. Call Dr. Matthew T. Boes orthopaedic surgeon and stay safe!