Soccer injuries can occur anytime due to the intense speed and twisting of the body the sport requires.

Achilles Tendinitis

Achilles tendonitis is an injury that occurs due to overuse of the Achilles tendon. Acute Achilles tendonitis can happen when an athlete increases his or her training suddenly. This type of tendonitis normally fades with rest and then can become chronic Achilles tendonitis. Chronic Achilles tendonitis can be caused by a variety of different reasons, such as increased activity, lowered recovery time, new footwear, or even weakened calf muscles.

Symptoms

o Pain behind the ankle increasing over time
o Pain at the beginning of exercise but disappearing slowly during the activity
o Achilles tendon is tender to touch

Treatment

o Rest and apply ice to injury
o Anti-inflammatory medication if necessary
o Sports massage or ultrasound

Consulting an A.R.M. sports physician for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment for Achilles tendinitis will ensure a full and speedy recovery.

Posterior Cruciate ligament (PCL) Injury

An injury to the PCL is most commonly caused when the knee is bent and trauma is caused to it from the front. These injuries are graded similar to MCL and ACL injuries with the three separate levels. Most treatments for PCL injuries require rehabilitation.

Symptoms

o Pain during the time of impact
o Swelling in the area might occur
o Pain when PCL is placed under stress
o Joint instability, and feelings of knee buckling

Treatment

o Rest and Ice
o Crutches when necessary
o Possible physical therapy

Consulting an A.R.M. sports physician for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment for PCL injuries will ensure a full recovery.

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)

DOMS is soreness from exercise that occurs hours after exercise. Normally the result of excessive or abnormal amounts of exercise, DOMS is caused by tiny muscle tears in the fibers due to strenuous training. Usually this soreness is felt 12 to 24 hours after the strenuous session.

Symptoms

o Muscle aches
o Excessive tightness
o Discomfort for up to 3 days

Treatment

o Rest
o Light exercise and stretching to increase blood flow and healing process
o Massage

Consulting an A.R.M. sports physician for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment for DOMS injuries will ensure a full recovery.

Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) Injury

The rupturing of the Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) is normally caused by an impact to the outside of the knee. The impact pushes the knee inward stretching the MCL and leading to partial or full tears.

There are three different levels of MCL tears:
Grade 1 tears are normally partial and there is no joint instability.
Grade 2 is partial tear combined with joint movement, yet when force is applied the joint is instable.
Grade 3 tear is a complete tear of the MCL yet sometimes is not as painful as a grade 2. Joint laxity is massive and the athlete will feel as if they have an unstable knee.

Symptoms

o Knee is tender on the MCL
o Swelling near or around the ligament
o When stretching the knee there is definite joint movement with no definitive end point
o Feelings of lack of stability and knee buckling

Treatment

o Rest and ice
o Anti-inflammatory medication when necessary
o Hinged knee brace when necessary
o Knee immobilizer when necessary and crutches

Consulting an A.R.M. sports physician for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment for MCL injuries will ensure a full recovery.

Iliotibial Band Syndrome

Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS) is one of the most common causes of lateral knee pain. ITBS develops among athletes who are either constantly running or who repeatedly flex or extend their knees. Long distance runners and cyclists are extremely prone to ITBS, but it is also found in other sports such as tennis, soccer and volleyball.

Stretching and strengthening the knee are common treatments for ITBS. Surgery for ITBS is very rare, although cortisone injections are sometimes used if all other types of treatments fail.

Symptoms

o Pain on the outside of knee especially during exercise
o Tightness in the Illiotibial band
o Weakness during hip abduction

Treatment

o Rest and Ice
o Ultrasound and electronic stimulation
o Anti-inflammatory medication when necessary

Consulting an A.R.M. sports physician for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment for Illiotibial band syndrome will ensure a full recovery.

Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) Injury

The Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) supports the outside of the knee and provides stability to the joint when the knee is pushed outward. An LCL injury is most common in contact sports such as football and occurs after severe force os applied to the inside of the knee. There are three grades of an LCL injury. Grade 1 consists of mild stretching of the ligament without looseness Grade 2 is a partial tear of the ligament Grade 3 consists of full rupture of the tendon resulting in instability of the knee joint.

Symptoms

o Discomfort to the outside of the knee
o Pain and swelling of the knee
o Tenderness and weakness of the knee

Treatment

o R.I.C.E (Rest, Ice, COmpression, Elevation) method
o Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory medication
o Sports Knee Brace
o Physical Therapy

Consulting an A.R.M. sports physician for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment for Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) Injury will ensure a full recovery.

Osgood-Schlatters Disease

Osgood-Schlatters Disease is a common reason for knee pain in young athletes. It is caused by swelling of the tubercle below the knee, leading to pain. Over exercise in young kids leads to bone growth near the patella tendon. This is the cause of the pain and discomfort.

Symptoms

o Tenderness and pain around the tubercle
o Pain during tightening of quadriceps
o Swelling directly below the knee

Treatment

o Rest and ice
o Use of a knee brace when advised

Physicians at A.R.M. specialize in sports braces and orthotics to treat such conditions. Consulting our sports physicians for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment for Osgood-Schlatters disease will ensure a full recovery.

Ankle Sprain

When the foot is turned inward or inverted an athletes’ ankle can be sprained. This can be caused by running on non-leveled surfaces, or can be due to landing on non-flat surfaces during competition.

Symptoms

o Swelling in the ankle because of the gathering of fluid in the tissues
o Pain in the region of the ankle when standing
o Painful to touch ankle region or to move foot in certain directions
o Redness and warmth in ankle due to increased in blood in the region

Treatment

o R.I.C.E. (Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate) method immediately
o Ultrasound and Laser treatment
o Anti-inflammatory medication when necessary

Consulting an A.R.M. sports physician for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment for ankle sprains will ensure a full and speedy recovery.

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome involves a few different factors, but all of them relate to the tracking of the patella in the femoral groove. Imbalances of the muscle groups in the legs, poor flexibility and alignment of bone structure or issues in the foot and ankle are common causes for poor tracking.

Symptoms

o Pain on the sides of kneecap
o Grinding feeling or knee popping

Treatment

o Rest and ice
o Knee brace

Consulting an A.R.M. sports physician for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment for patellofemoral pain syndrome will ensure a full and speedy recovery.

Concussion

A concussion is a brain injury resulting from a sudden impact to the head or body. The brain, which is a made up of soft tissues, is surrounded by fluid in the skull. When the skull is delivered a heavy blow, the brain might hit the bone inside causing a concussion and temporarily preventing the brain from working.

Treatment for a concussion is dependant on the severity of the blow. Any symptom of a concussion after receiving a blow to the skull requires consultation with a medical professional immediately. For more severe and traumatic instances an athlete should be taken to the hospital.

Symptoms

o Mild dizziness or nausea
o Loss of memory for any time period after or during the injury
o Loss of consciousness
o Vomiting multiple times after the incident
o Repetition of the same statement multiple times

Treatment

o Ice the area of impact
o Seek immediate medical attention

Consulting an A.R.M. sports physician for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment for a Concussion will ensure safety and avoid further complications.

Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar Fasciitis is the inflammation of a band of tissue that connects your heel bone to your toes. It usually starts with a mild pain. The inflammation originates from the Plantar Fascia tightening. It then begins to tear instead of flexing with the foot, causing irritation.

Plantar Fasciitis leads to complications with other body parts such as knee’s, hip, or back because it changes the athletes walking motion, placing stress on other joints. You may feel the pain after exercise, getting out of bed in the morning or after arising from any prolonged period of inactivity; allowing the Plantar Fascia to get tight and stiff.

Symptoms

o Sharp pain in heel or foot
o Worst pain occurs after awakening
o Also can occur after being seated or standing for prolonged periods of time

Treatment

o Rest
o Applying ice
o Keeping weight off your foot until the pain and inflammation subsides
o Avoiding running, jumping, or walking without any support or cushioning
o Use of Orthotics
o Anti-inflammatory medication when necessary
o Getting physical therapy and exercise to stretch your Achilles tendon and Plantar Fascia
o Use of night splints, cortisone injections, and surgery in extreme cases

Consulting an A.R.M. sports physician for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment for Plantar Fasciitis will ensure a full recovery.

Hamstring pull or tear

Hamstring injuries are extremely painful and are rather common across all athletic activities. There are three separate levels, or grades of hamstring injuries.

Grade 1 injuries deal with mild tearing of the muscle tissues.
Grade 2 has moderate damage to the three muscle groups that make up the hamstring.
Grade 3 the most severe injury can deal with a total rupture of the hamstring muscle.

Symptoms

o Sudden sharp pain in the back of the leg
o Swelling and burning of hamstring muscle
o Grade 3 may leave a gap in the muscle group
o Pain with stretching or with resistance to movement

Treatment

o R.I.C.E. (Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate) method
o Compression bandage
o Ultrasound and electrical stimulation
o Sports massage
o Anti-inflammatory medication when necessary

Consulting an A.R.M. sports physician for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment for hamstring pull or tear will ensure a full recovery.

Shin Splints

The most common cause of shin splints is inflammation of the periostium of the tibia; A very common injury amongst athletes whose sports involve a lot of running. The force of the lower leg muscles leading to inflammation and sharp shin pain causes friction on the periostium.

Symptoms

o Pain on the inside of the shin
o Pain that eases as exercise is continued
o Pain when toes or foot are bent downwards
o Lumps or bumps may be felt when feeling the inside of the shin bone

Treatment

o Rest and ice the area of the injury
o Applying heat prior to exercise will reduce pain
o Wearing proper footwear

Consulting an A.R.M. physician for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment for Shin splints will ensure your full recovery and get you back on your feet.

Meniscus Injuries

Medial Meniscus is a piece of cartilage that lies between the joints of the knee on the inside. On the outside is the lateral meniscus. Medial meniscus injuries are more likely to occur then lateral meniscus injuries. Medial meniscus injuries normally involve the same type of trauma as ACL injuries and often go hand in hand.

Twisting motions, while the feet are planted and impacts to the knee can all cause meniscus damage. There are also degenerative conditions where the meniscus tissue begins to fray causing damage and pain.

Symptoms

o Pain on the inner surface in the knee joint
o Swelling in or around the knee
o Lack of weight bearing strength
o Pain when knee is rotated

Treatment

o R.I.C.E. (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) method
o Electronic stimulation and ultrasound
o Manual therapy
o Anti-inflammatory medication when necessary

Consulting an A.R.M. sports physician for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment for Medial Meniscus injuries will ensure a full recovery.

Stress Fractures

Stress fractures, while not the most common, still affect many athletes across different sports. Common stress fractures are due to constant use of muscle groups, which leads to higher bone stress once these muscles are exhausted. Stress fractures can also be caused by changes on the surfaces of the playing field.

Symptoms

o Pain during distance running
o Tenderness near or around injury location
o Swelling near or around injury location

Treatment

o Rest for up to 8 weeks
o Continue exercise in aquatic environment

Consulting an A.R.M. sports physician for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment for a stress fracture will ensure a full recovery.

Osteitis Pubis (Pelvic Pain)

Osteitis pubis is a condition that refers to the excessive strain on the pubic bone found in runners and footballers. The injury helps lead to sclerosis and bone changes in the pubic area which can limit athletes length of activity.

Symptoms

o Loss of flexibility in the groin
o Dull pain in groin region
o Sharp pain during strenuous activities

Treatment

o Rest and Ice
o Medication when necessary
o Therapeutic exercises and stretching

Consulting an A.R.M. sports physician for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment for Osteitis Pubis or Pelvic Pain will ensure a full and speedy recovery.

Pull or Strain of Calf Muscle

A pull or strain of the calf muscles involves a tear of the muscles known as the Gastrocnemius and the Soleus. In a full rupture of the calf muscle, a bunched mass of tissue can be seen near the back of the knee. Like many other injuries calf strains are broken down into three different grades depending upon the severity of the muscle tear.

Grade 1 involve up to 10% of the muscles in the calf.
Grade 2 affects 90% of the muscles in the calf .
Grade 3 occurs when over 90% of the calf muscle fibers are torn.

Symptoms

o Minor to severe pain in the lower leg
o Tightness and aching in lower leg
o Swelling and bruising
o A bunched up mass of tissue (in a full calf muscle rupture)

Treatment

o R.I.C.E. (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) method
o Anti-inflammatory medicine when necessary
o Ultrasound treatment

Consulting an A.R.M sports physician for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment for a calf strain will ensure a full recovery.