As has been mentioned, the student trainers from Ithaca College have left. Their last day was a few days ago. Since that time, I've been able to do some taping in the training room. Bob and Matt are there too, but Bob only knows how to tape ankles, and he doesn't get there right away, so it's usually just me and Matt. Matt doesn't do taping, so it leaves me. I tape ankles, wrists and shins. I've watched Kim tape an Achilles and knees but I don't trust myself with those yet. Kim is so great about all of this. She'll talk me through things if I'm not sure if I'm doing it right, and she always asks me if I want to do the taping.
As much as I want school to be over, I don't, because that means the end of this project. I've had some major issues with keeping up to date with everything that I've been doing, but I have absolutely LOVED this project. One day I was talking with John Dale, the guy from IC. He was saying that freshmen don't do anything in the AT major. So, this is going to be my taping quota for a while because there's going to be a period of about 2 years where I'm not really going to be involved with taping anybody, but it's giving me a headstart on what we're going to be learning in college. Yay! :)
Monday, May 31, 2010
Chrondomalacia Patella
Commonly called "Runner's Knee", Chronomalacia Patella is often the cause of pain in the knee. It is common in any sport that involves a lot of running, i.e. cross-country, track, lacrosse, etc. It usually affects healthy, young athletes.
Runner's Knee is caused by an irritation on the underside of the knee. The underside of the patella is covered in a layer of cartilage. The patella can usually glide along with the movement of the knee. However, in some individuals, the patella tends to rub against one side of the knee joint or the other, causing an irritation to the cartilage, thus giving the athlete pain.
Unlike the damage done to the cartilage in arthritis, it is thought that the cartilage from runner's knee can be repaired, because unlike arthritis, it isn't a degeneration of cartilage, it is the blistering that causes the pain.
Along with athletes, women are more likely to get runner's knee than men. It isn't known why, but it's suspected that because of anatomical differences between men and women, there is more lateral force put on the woman's knee than the man's.
Treatment
Most people can get throuh runner's knee if they just rest and do some physical therapy. Letting the inflammation settle is the first part, along with avoiding any activity that would involve heavy stress on the knee, like running or other sports. Gradually the athlete can return to activity. During the time of rest, the athlete can still do cross-training like swimming to keep them active. They can do what they want, as long as it isn't putting a lot of stress on the knee.
Surgery isn't as common as a treatment for runner's knee as it used to be, but it is still used. Sometimes, common therapy is not effective in reducing the inflammation or pain associated with runner's knee, so surgery is necessary.
Runner's Knee is caused by an irritation on the underside of the knee. The underside of the patella is covered in a layer of cartilage. The patella can usually glide along with the movement of the knee. However, in some individuals, the patella tends to rub against one side of the knee joint or the other, causing an irritation to the cartilage, thus giving the athlete pain.
Unlike the damage done to the cartilage in arthritis, it is thought that the cartilage from runner's knee can be repaired, because unlike arthritis, it isn't a degeneration of cartilage, it is the blistering that causes the pain.
Along with athletes, women are more likely to get runner's knee than men. It isn't known why, but it's suspected that because of anatomical differences between men and women, there is more lateral force put on the woman's knee than the man's.
Treatment
Most people can get throuh runner's knee if they just rest and do some physical therapy. Letting the inflammation settle is the first part, along with avoiding any activity that would involve heavy stress on the knee, like running or other sports. Gradually the athlete can return to activity. During the time of rest, the athlete can still do cross-training like swimming to keep them active. They can do what they want, as long as it isn't putting a lot of stress on the knee.
Surgery isn't as common as a treatment for runner's knee as it used to be, but it is still used. Sometimes, common therapy is not effective in reducing the inflammation or pain associated with runner's knee, so surgery is necessary.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Torn Rotator Cuff
The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that help to stabilize the shoulder. One or more tendons may become inflamed due to overuse, age, falling or collision. Sports requiring extensive, repeated use of the shoulder have more injuries to the rotator cuff. The injury most often happens to pitchers and quarterbacks because they throw the ball countless times not only during the game but during the week as well.
Signs
Somebody who has an injury to their rotator cuff will likely complain of pain in their deltoid muscle and outer shoulder, especially when the arm is raised in front of them, or out to the side. The shoulder may feel weak, especially when trying to lift the arm into a horizontal position. The athlete may hear a clicking or popping sound in their shoulder when it moves.
How is it diagnosed?
Pain or weakness on an inward or outward rotation of the arm may indicate a torn rotator cuff. There may also be pain when the arm is lowered to the side after the shoulder is moved back and the arm is raised. The problem is that with torn rotator cuffs, you can't look at an X-ray and tell. The shoulder may appear normal. In order to fully detect a torn rotator cuff, an MRI needs to be done, but even that does not detect partial tears.
Treatment
If bad enough, Tommy John surgery may need to be done. However, most times, it is possible to get away with putting heat and ice on teh shoulder and wearing it in a sling for a few days. Other treatments may be done like electrical stimulation, ultrasound or cortisone shots.
On a semi-side note, Tommy John surgery is named after the baseball pitcher, Tommy John, who was the first pitcher to have surgery done to repair his torn rotator cuff. He had 288 victories, the most for any pitcher not selected for the Hall of Fame. He has the 7th highest number of wins for any left-handed pitcher. He made his major league debut for the Cleveland Indians in 1963 and went on to play for the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, California Angels, Oakland Athletics and back to the Yankees before he retired in 1989. He had surgery on September 25, 1974.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Achilles Tendonitis
The Achilles Tendon is the most vulnerable tendon in the whole body. It joins the gastrocnemius (calf) and soleus muscles. Tendons are strong, but they aren't very flexible, so they can only go so far before they get inflamed or they tear.
Achilles tendonitis is a chronic injury that comes primarily from overuse. It tends to come on gradually, until it gets to the point that it is too painful to do sports, or even normal daily activities like walking, or getting in the car. The biggest cause of chronic Achilles Tendonitis is ignoring the early signs and pushing through the pain. Another major case is weak calf muscles. If the muscle is weak, it becomes fatigued and it will tighten and shorten. The tightness will increase the stress on the Achilles, and tendonitis can occur. Sudden increases in training, hill climbing, or a lot of speedwork can also lead to Achilles Tendonitis.
At the first sign of pain from the Achilles, the athlete should cut back. Stop speed training, hill running, etc. Begin gentle calf stretching after exercise when the tendon is still warm and flexible, and put ice on the ankle after workouts. Be careful though, not to overstretch. Strengthening the muscle leads to less stress placed on the tendon. Cross-training can also be done while reducing the amount of work done every day. Toe raising, balancing on the toes and wall stretching can also be beneficial.
Achilles tendonitis is a chronic injury that comes primarily from overuse. It tends to come on gradually, until it gets to the point that it is too painful to do sports, or even normal daily activities like walking, or getting in the car. The biggest cause of chronic Achilles Tendonitis is ignoring the early signs and pushing through the pain. Another major case is weak calf muscles. If the muscle is weak, it becomes fatigued and it will tighten and shorten. The tightness will increase the stress on the Achilles, and tendonitis can occur. Sudden increases in training, hill climbing, or a lot of speedwork can also lead to Achilles Tendonitis.
At the first sign of pain from the Achilles, the athlete should cut back. Stop speed training, hill running, etc. Begin gentle calf stretching after exercise when the tendon is still warm and flexible, and put ice on the ankle after workouts. Be careful though, not to overstretch. Strengthening the muscle leads to less stress placed on the tendon. Cross-training can also be done while reducing the amount of work done every day. Toe raising, balancing on the toes and wall stretching can also be beneficial.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Last day
Today was the last day for the student trainers from Ithaca College. I've liked having them there. They were helpful if I had any questions about college, IC in particular. They taught me how to tape shins when an athlete has shin splints. There were negatives though. Three of them were really good friends with each other, so they were constantly goofing off, which made it really difficult for Kim. Having four trainers was a bit of a problem. It got really crowded, because the training room isn't the biggest room in the school.
I have some pictures from today. I asked them to take the pictures expressly so I could include them on here. So here they are. I only have pictures of the three of them, because the other trainer was on the other field with baseball. The guy is John, the tiny one is Kara and the other girl is Chelsea. Mary Rose was with baseball today.
I have some pictures from today. I asked them to take the pictures expressly so I could include them on here. So here they are. I only have pictures of the three of them, because the other trainer was on the other field with baseball. The guy is John, the tiny one is Kara and the other girl is Chelsea. Mary Rose was with baseball today.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
When The Job's A Game: Athletes, Coaches, Sports Officials and Related Workers
This was a periodical from SIRS Knowledge Source that I found for my bibliography during the first semester. I thought it would be a good idea to look through some of those, so that I had a variety of posts; not just posts about mentor meetings or what I was doing with Kim. This is what it was about.
First of all, it gave an inside look at how all of the different people involved with sports work together. That, I thought, was a really nice touch. It showed how everybody has a major part.
Athlete
During the section specifically about athletes, it talked about how they not only play the game for spectators, but they spend hours and hours under the supervision of coaches and other sports officials while they practice. "To succeed, professional athletes need to understand the rules and strategies of their sport, be in exceptional physical condition, use excellent form and technique, and compete fairly. "
Coaches
Coaches train the athletes by having them perform drills routinely. They improve skills, techniques, conditioning and they strengthen weaknesses. They advise the athletes so that they play to their potential. One of the most important functions of a coach that is often overlooked is the fact that they motivate the athletes to play well. Coaches also instruct their athletes during a game to get the to play the way they need to, or run a certain play, etc.
Sports Officials
This group includes Referees, Umpires and other sports officials. These are the people who control the game. They make sure everything is played according to the rules. They make calls for scoring, outs, just about everything. They promote fair, safe play, and encourage sportsmanship.
Athletic Trainers
They specialize in the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of athletic injuries. There are many injuries in the professional sports scene, so they have been necessary there for quite some time. There are still quite a few in college, so many colleges have their own team. More and more high schools have been employing Athletic Trainers to help with student athletes. They help athletes avoid being hurt by teaching them how to condition correctly. Trainers design and monitor strength, cardiovascular and training programs for athletes. Athletic Trainers also select equipment, maintain athletic training areas, stock supplies and keep records.
Scouts
The scouts are there as intelligence agents for the team. They go around looking not only at younger players making their way up, they also look in on other teams to see what they are doing. This helps the team get a better feel for what to expect when they play other teams.
For everybody involved with a job in sports, the hours are very irregular. Some teams have 4-7 month seasons, so many people work part time, and nights and weekends. A trainer for instance will work with the team, not only during the season, but will work with the athletes during the off season so that they stay in shape and continue doing a proper exercise program. During the season, they work with the team, and they travel with the team, so they work many nights and weekends.
Travel is a big part of the job. Half of the games in a professional sport are away from home. In extreme cases, like baseball, that's 81 games away from home. That is a long time, there are stretches where people won't be home for 2-3 weeks at a time, multiple times during the season. It is a big commitment to be involved with a job that is in the sports field.
Kasper, Henry. "When The Job's A Game: Athletes, Coaches, Sports Officials and Related Workers." SIRS Knowledge Source. Gale, Spring 2001. Web. 29 Jan. 2010.
First of all, it gave an inside look at how all of the different people involved with sports work together. That, I thought, was a really nice touch. It showed how everybody has a major part.
Athlete
During the section specifically about athletes, it talked about how they not only play the game for spectators, but they spend hours and hours under the supervision of coaches and other sports officials while they practice. "To succeed, professional athletes need to understand the rules and strategies of their sport, be in exceptional physical condition, use excellent form and technique, and compete fairly. "
Coaches
Coaches train the athletes by having them perform drills routinely. They improve skills, techniques, conditioning and they strengthen weaknesses. They advise the athletes so that they play to their potential. One of the most important functions of a coach that is often overlooked is the fact that they motivate the athletes to play well. Coaches also instruct their athletes during a game to get the to play the way they need to, or run a certain play, etc.
Sports Officials
This group includes Referees, Umpires and other sports officials. These are the people who control the game. They make sure everything is played according to the rules. They make calls for scoring, outs, just about everything. They promote fair, safe play, and encourage sportsmanship.
Athletic Trainers
They specialize in the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of athletic injuries. There are many injuries in the professional sports scene, so they have been necessary there for quite some time. There are still quite a few in college, so many colleges have their own team. More and more high schools have been employing Athletic Trainers to help with student athletes. They help athletes avoid being hurt by teaching them how to condition correctly. Trainers design and monitor strength, cardiovascular and training programs for athletes. Athletic Trainers also select equipment, maintain athletic training areas, stock supplies and keep records.
Scouts
The scouts are there as intelligence agents for the team. They go around looking not only at younger players making their way up, they also look in on other teams to see what they are doing. This helps the team get a better feel for what to expect when they play other teams.
For everybody involved with a job in sports, the hours are very irregular. Some teams have 4-7 month seasons, so many people work part time, and nights and weekends. A trainer for instance will work with the team, not only during the season, but will work with the athletes during the off season so that they stay in shape and continue doing a proper exercise program. During the season, they work with the team, and they travel with the team, so they work many nights and weekends.
Travel is a big part of the job. Half of the games in a professional sport are away from home. In extreme cases, like baseball, that's 81 games away from home. That is a long time, there are stretches where people won't be home for 2-3 weeks at a time, multiple times during the season. It is a big commitment to be involved with a job that is in the sports field.
Kasper, Henry. "When The Job's A Game: Athletes, Coaches, Sports Officials and Related Workers." SIRS Knowledge Source. Gale, Spring 2001. Web. 29 Jan. 2010.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)