These links provide facts and information related to common athletic injuries. This information is not intended to be, and should not be used as a substitute for appropriate medical care. If you have any doubt about the injury, consult a certified athletic trainer or physician immediately. Any questions or concerns regarding school policy, management or treatment of an injury, general information regarding injuries may contact Joe Amicucci directly.
Ankle
Types of Ankle Sprains:
Lateral Ankle Sprain
Lateral Ankle Sprains (LAS) occur when the outside of the ankle "rolls" inward or is inverted, which is why they are also referred to as "inversion ankle sprains".
Often classified into 3 categories based on severity: Mild (Grade 1), Moderate (Grade 2), Severe (Grade 3).
Best practice for prevention of initial injury or recurrent LAS include :
1) Strengthening of local musculature
2) Proprioceptive training
3) External ankle supports ie: brace/tape
Medial Ankle Sprain
Medual Ankle Sprains occur when the inside of the ankle is forced inward or is everted, which is why they are also referred to as "eversion ankle sprains".
Medial ankle sprains are not as common as LAS.
High Ankle Sprain
High Ankle Sprains are an injury to the "syndesmosis" which holds the tibia and fibula together. Therefore, a high ankle sprain is also known as a "syndesmotic ankle sprain". These injuries often occur during high contact sports when the foot/ankle is forcefully externally rotated. Sometimes this injury may require surgery depending on how severe the damage to the syndesmosis.
Kerkhoffs GM, van den Bekerom M, Elders LAM, et al Diagnosis, treatment and prevention
of ankle sprains: an evidence-based clinical guideline. Br J Sports Med 2012;46:854-860
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Knee
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Some of the most common knee injuries suffered during athletics are ligament sprains. Some of the most commonly injured ligaments are the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), medial collateral ligament (MCL), and lateral collateral ligament (LCL). Each ligament serves as a major stabilizer for the knee joint, specifically the Tibiofemoral joint.
Types of Knee Sprains:
ACL
The ACL is probably the most widely known ligament in the knee and unfortunately one of the most commonly injured. Fortunately, recovering from an ACL injury has come a long way over the years. What used to be a potentially career-ending injury, keeps an athlete from play for 6-12 months.
Another fortunate outcome from all the attention the ACL garnered over the past decades has been the development of ACL injury prevention programs (IPPs). These programs focus on strength training, landing/jumping technique, and balance. They can be easily incorporated into your team's warm-up as they only take 15-20 minutes to complete. If done 2-3 times per week, they have been shown to yield lower ACL injury rates.
MCL
MCL injuries can occur due to a hit to the outside of the knee such as being tackled in football or being kicked on a slide tackle in soccer. MCL sprains can also occur without contact such as landing or pivoting. In both of these instances, the mechanism of injury (MOI) is a valgus stress placed on the MCL. The MCL provides stability to the inner aspect of the knee so it doesn't collapse towards your opposite knee. MCL injuries can occur alone or together with other ligaments or structures in the knee. It's common, especially with non-contact injuries, for the ACL and MCL to be injured together.
Chambat P, Guier C, Sonnery-Cottet B, Fayard JM, Thaunat M. The
evolution of ACL reconstruction over the last fifty years. Int Orthop.
2013;37(2):181-6.
Padua DA, DiStefano LJ, Hewett TE, Garrett WE, Marshall SW,
GM Golden,Shultz SJ, and Sigward SM. (2018) National Athletic
Trainers' Association Position Statement: Prevention of Anterior Cruciate
Ligament Injury. Journal of Athletic Training: January 2018, Vol. 53, No. 1,
pp. 5-19.
Shoulder/Elbow
Shoulder Labrum Tear
The shoulder labrum is the ring of cartilage located on the rim of the shoulder socket. A common analogy used to describe the shoulder joint is to imagine a golf ball resting on a golf tee. The golf ball being the top of the upper arm bone (humerus) and the tee being the socket on the shoulder blade (glenoid fossa). When the head of the humerus rotates and shifts around the glenoid, the labrum can become stressed and cause a tear, also known as a SLAP tear (Superior Labrum Anterior Posterior). Depending on severity of injury, SLAP tears can be managed by surgery or non-operative management (strengthening exercises, NSAIDS, rest).
UCL Tear
The Ulnar Collateral Ligament (UCL) of the elbow is also known as the "Tommy John" Ligament. Tommy John surgery has been a hot topic in the news as it relates to many major league baseball pitchers.
Lower Leg
Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (MTSS)
Medial tibial stress syndrome, commonly called shin splints, is an overuse injury that results in exercise-induced pain along the inner (posteromedial) border of the tibia.
Histologically, it is thought to result from a bone stress reaction in which bone resorption outpaces bone formation in the tibial cortex, rather than a simple inflammation of the periosteum.
Risk Factors / Etiology:
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Repetitive loading from running or jumping activities
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Sudden increases in training volume or intensity
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Biomechanical factors, such as overpronation (flat feet), limited ankle dorsiflexion, or muscle imbalances (e.g., tight calves)
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Collins, N., Crossley, K., & Beller, E. (2008). Medial tibial stress syndrome in athletes: Evidence-based treatment strategies. In M. K. Khan & T. J. Rees (Eds.), Textbook of sports medicine (pp. 123–132). Springer. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538479/
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Moen, M. H., Tol, J. L., Weir, A., Steunebrink, M., & De Winter, T. C. (2009). Medial tibial stress syndrome: A critical review. Sports Medicine, 39(7), 523–546. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19530750/
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Yates, B., & White, S. (2004). The incidence and risk factors of medial tibial stress syndrome in active individuals: A systematic review. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 38(1), 79–83. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22341017/