Recently Had A Head Injury? Don’t Wait To Get It Checked Out

Don’t Let A Head Injury Go Unchecked: Concussions And Impact Testing

Concussions are common in high-impact sports (remember the ongoing NFL concussion settlement?), but they can also happen in everyday life from accidents. From slipping and falling on ice to accident-prone children, concussions can happen anywhere at any time.

Sometimes, concussions can go unnoticed, leading to more serious problems. And, although many people are checked for concussions after traumatic accidents like car crashes, even banging your head could result in a concussion that might go undiagnosed if it’s not checked out.

But how do you know you have one? And when should you go in to get it check out? Here's what you should look out for after a sustaining a head injury and when you should seek medical attention.

Common symptoms may go unnoticed after a head injury.

Short of being involved in a serious traumatic accident like a car crash, many people don’t pay attention to the symptoms of a concussion. In fact, some symptoms are so common that they may go unnoticed. However, if you’ve recently injured your head, paying attention to these signs may indicate a concussion or, at the very least, be concern enough to seek medical attention:

• Headache
• Dizziness
• Vision problems or seeing stars
• Fatigue
• Trouble concentrating or remembering simple things
• Irritability
• Trouble sleeping

Other more serious, and more noticeable symptoms include loss of consciousness immediately following the traumatic event, ringing in the ears, nausea or vomiting, trouble speaking, or sensitivity to light. Whether the symptoms seem common, like headaches or fatigue, or are more serious, you should always head in to a clinic to be checked for a concussion. Getting medical attention for a head injury right away means recovering faster and returning to your normal daily activities.

Physical therapy will help quicken recovery after a concussion.

You might not know it, but physical therapy is one of the most effective ways of recovering from a concussion. Not only do physical therapists look at the whole picture, but an exercise-based program will help you recover quickly so that you can get back to living your life as normal.

Nancy, a patient at OSR Physical Therapy, knows what it’s like to go through rehabilitation for a concussion. She’s currently recovering from a head injury that left her with dizziness, balance problems, and vision problems – classic results of a concussion.

“After I couldn’t go back to work because of head problems, I started getting frustrated,” says Nancy. “I was recommended to seek physical therapy and up until that point, I didn’t even know that physical therapy could treat concussions.”

Nancy, a concussion patient at OSR Physical Therapy

However, after just a couple of sessions, Nancy started to see improvement; her dizziness and lightheadedness was lessening after each session. With such exercises as eye strengthening and focusing, Nancy saw great improvement and is finally able to return to work.

Never let a head injury go unchecked.

Many people like Nancy have no idea that physical therapy could help in recovering from a concussion. Living with a concussion means making daily life difficult and could even mean the inability to work. However, if you’ve had a head injury and have some of the same symptoms, physical therapy can help you return quickly to your normal standard of living. Physical therapists at OSR who specialize in concussions and head injuries will evaluate you for free and even begin sessions with you that same day so that you can recover quickly from your head injury.

Prevent an ACL Injury with these 4 Methods

Vikings' quarterback Teddy Bridgewater at practice before the 2016 season.

Before the Minnesota Vikings’ season even began, starting quarterback Teddy Bridgewater injured his knee during a noncontact practice drill. Unfortunately for Bridgewater and the Vikings, the diagnosis was a torn ACL, forcing the football player to sit out the entire 2016 season.

ACL injuries are unfortunately all-to-common in high-impact sports, especially football. They’re season-ending and, in some cases, even serious enough to be career-ending. Sometimes, it’s just plain bad luck when it comes to an injury. No matter how much you train, strengthen, and take care of your body, an injury could still happen, like in Bridgewater’s case. However, injuries, and in particular ACL injuries, don't need to be and shouldn't be inevitable. A torn ACL will put you out for the season, but there are ways to prevent it.

1. Learn to recognize muscle weaknesses.

Learning to recognize who is at risk for an injury, especially an ACL injury, is the first step in preventing it. Understanding how the lower leg works will help in recognizing this risk. A certified athletic trainer is trained in recognizing risks and knows what to look for in determining risk. Whether you’re a coach or an athlete, having an evaluation done by an athletic trainer and physical therapist will help in preventing not only ACL injuries, but also other injuries.

2. Target at-risk muscles with strengthening exercises. 

Once at-risk muscles are determined, one of the best ways to lower the risk of injury is to target those muscles specifically for strengthening. A program that is designed to not only analyze the body to find weaknesses, but also focus on strengthening those weak areas is essential to preventing any injury. Such exercises will be determined by an athletic trainer who will ensure they are being done correctly.

3. Incorporate specific exercises into your regular training.

Kyle McCuskey, who has been a certified athletic trainer for three years, says that targeted exercises for strengthening shouldn’t just be a part of a one-and-done program. Instead, they should be incorporated into a pre-practice routine or even post-practice.

“Not only will we [OSR] evaluate each athlete for ACL risk, but we’ll also give exercises to target that area,” McCuskey says. “We can do this for groups and we’ll show coaches how to incorporate these exercises into a pre-practice routine, like a warm-up routine.”

4. Keep physical therapy as part of your regular training.

Even if you’re not injured, physical therapy has its place in training. An individualized program that includes targeted strengthening areas will help any athlete stay injury-free. Furthermore, it can even improve overall fitness. Through regular training and sessions with a certified athletic trainer or physical therapist will help in injury prevention as well as help quicken the recovery of injuries.

OSR athletic trainers will help prevent ACL injuries.

OSR has a variety of programs that will help in overall injury prevention and improve strength. Not only will OSR work closely with coaches, but our 6-week Sportsmetrics program focuses directly on targeting the ACL. Contact OSR today if you’re interested in the program or staying injury free. 

One Major Way to Treat and Prevent Sports Injuries

The Importance Of Physical Therapy In Athletic Training

Every athlete knows that feeling oftentimes accompanying pain. It’s the feeling of frustration, worry, and – let’s just say it – doom. Doom that you’ll be out for the rest of the season, or worse that your sports career is over. It’s a feeling that every athlete dreads and, more importantly, tries to avoid.

But how can you avoid an injury? And, if you’ve sustained a sports-related injury, how do you bounce back and quickly?

Using a treatment program that has been tailored specifically for athletes will not only help you recover from any injury, but will also help prevent future injuries.

Exercise-based therapy is an important part of athletic training.

Whether you’re currently injured, recovering from an injury, or looking to prevent future injuries, physical therapy plays an important role in athletic training. Exercise-based therapy focuses on strengthening the areas of the body that are either weak or are more prone to injuries. Physical therapy that incorporates strengthening exercises not only helps in the rehabilitation process from sports-related injuries, but can also help in injury-prevention.

Therapy that focuses on strengthening muscles so that they’re able to support the body to the best of its ability is the goal for exercise-based therapy. In fact, it’s the best way to be prepared. Many times, certified athletic trainers will work closely with physical therapists to achieve the best results in preventing or rehabilitating injuries.

At OSR Physical Therapy, Kyle McCuskey is an athletic trainer of three years who works closely with physical therapists to rehabilitate patients and prevent future injuries.

Kyle McCuskey, athletic trainer for OSR Physical Therapy

“A new patient goes through the consult and initial evaluation with a physical therapist and then we work together for the remainder of the rehab,” says McCuskey. “We assign exercises, working with each patient on an individual level so that they can return to their sport or return to their daily life.”

 

Certified athletic trainers are trained to recognize potential injuries.

Both physical therapists and certified athletic trainers work to pinpoint areas of weakness on the body of each individual athlete. Once those areas are identified, they work together with the athlete and, many times, even the coaches to strengthen and prevent injury.

Not only do they focus on strengthening, but proper body form with movements, such as jumping, are taken into account to provide a complete picture of where the athlete is more prone to injury. Both athletic trainers and physical therapists will analyze the angles of the body while moving, making sure the biomechanics are able to support the body in the best way possible.

After evaluating and analyzing the movements, sometimes even using video analysis, they work together to determine the muscle weaknesses and the best way to strengthen those injury-prone areas. However, since each body is different, it’s important to have an athletic trainer or physical therapist that recognizes the importance of an individualized training program.

OSR Physical Therapy offers individualized sports-centered programs.

At OSR Physical Therapy, athletic trainers and physical therapists work closely together to build an individualized therapy and training program for each athlete. They also work closely with coaches, offering programs that focus on evaluation and strengthening before the season.

Contact OSR today if you’re interested in our athletic training programs.

5 Things To Know About The Graston Technique

Imagine waking up every morning in pain because of an injury or surgery. You’ve tried all the traditional methods of recovery, but nothing seems to working as well as you hoped. During the day, you find it hard to move and it’s starting to affect your everyday living. Finally, your physical therapist talks to you about a new technique called the Graston Technique and you begin to see a light at the end of the tunnel for living pain-free.

1. You’ll quickly return to a pain-free life.

The Graston Technique uses specially-designed steel instruments to treat areas on the body that are in pain due to soft tissue fibrosis or inflammation.  The technique is a form of soft tissue mobilization and has been proven to decrease treatment time as well as help quicken the recovery from an injury or surgery.

2. It uses a weird looking instrument, but it’s proven to work.

The instrument used is designed specifically for the curves of the body, effectively targeting the problem areas. Physical therapists who have been trained in the Graston Technique use the stainless steel instrument to press over the painful area. It helps in identifying the precise problem area so as to better target the treatment program. When used with an individualized physical therapy program, the Graston Technique will effectively help you return to a pain-free life.

3. It was developed by and for athletes, but it's effective for anyone in pain.

Athletes trying to recover quickly from a sports-related injury would benefit greatly from the Graston Technique. Both physical therapists and athletic trainers can use the instrument to facilitate a fast and full recovery. Many sports organizations employ clinicians that are specially trained in the Graston Technique – from colleges like the University of Minnesota to professional organizations like the Vikings and even the Boston Ballet. However, you don’t have to be an athlete to benefit from the technique as it’s been proven to work as a post-surgery therapy as well as work on any chronic inflammation such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

4. The Graston Technique is not used alone.

This form of manual therapy is most effective when used as part of an overall therapy program. Your physical therapist may use the technique if they think you would benefit greatly from it or if they’ve determined that it will greatly reduce your recovery time. It’s important to always listen to your physical therapist’s expertise when it comes to your individualized program as they will use what’s best for your rehabilitation.

5. It’s been proven to be effective 75-90% of the time.

Being intensely researched, the Graston Technique has been proven to be effective 75-90% of the time to treat many different conditions. Not only does it help restore function and movement to painful areas, but it can help is reducing chronic injuries and the recovery time following surgery. From marathon runners to those suffering from Carpal Tunnel, the Graston Technique is an effective addition to a comprehensive physical therapy program.

OSR Physical Therapy offers the Graston Technique.

At OSR Physical Therapy, we offer individualized, exercise-based physical therapy programs. We also have physical therapists and athletic trainers that are trained in supplemental rehabilitation, such as the Graston Technique. Talk to one of ourclinics or your current OSR physical therapist if you’re interested in learning more about a supplemental program.

Get Back to Living Your Life with Specialty Rehabilitation

Specialty Rehabilitation: What It Is and When to Get It

Muscle aches and pains. Stress fractures. Traumatic injuries. You might have injuries associated with any of these conditions that are common, but that doesn’t mean you need a common physical therapy program to help you get back on your feet. Each injury, each condition, each person has specific needs that need to be met in order to recover from an existing injury and to prevent future injuries. Specialty rehabilitation caters to your specific needs so that you can get back to living your life in the shortest time possible.

What is specialty rehabilitation?

Simply put, specialty rehabilitation is a program that is implemented specifically for the patient. It caters to the patient’s individual circumstances based on any number of factors – type of injury, how the injury was sustained, lifestyle, medical history, and even physique. With a custom-built rehabilitation program, physical therapists can help you recover as quickly as possible.

What kind of specialty methods are there?

Using the latest research in injury prevention and athletic conditioning, specialized programs help to keep athletes strong and healthy. By focusing on such areas as speed, power, body control, and strength conditioning, injuries can be prevented. Furthermore, a program that is evidence-based and focuses on performance enhancement and injury prevention can help future surgeries due to such injuries as ACL tears be avoided.

Not only are evidence-based programs beneficial to athletes, but also programs that offer flexible scheduling hours in consideration of performances, games, and competitions. These programs, especially if you’re a dancer or runner, collaborate with not only the patient but also the parents and coaches to achieve the best possible outcome in recovering or preventing injuries. Specialty equipment such as anti-gravity treadmills are used in these programs, along with focusing on technique.

What about special rehabilitation for non-athletes?

Athletes aren’t just the only people who need a rehabilitation program that is specific to their needs. If you’ve been in a traumatic accident or have sustained a traumatic head injury, getting specialized concussion rehabilitation is essential to recovering fully and quickly. A program that focuses on concussions will treat such debilitating symptoms as dizziness, chronic headaches and neck pain, instability and balance problems, and vision problems.

Even expectant mothers can benefit from a special physical therapy program. Pregnancy brings about so many changes to the body, including pain in the hips, groin, lower back, and knees. This pain can make pregnancy almost unbearable, but a specialized program will help improve multiple conditions caused by pregnancy and help you stay on your feet through the duration.

 

Specialty rehabilitation will yield exceptional results.

Whether you’re an athlete, accident-prone, or pregnant, a specialty rehabilitation program will give you the best results possible in the quickest time possible. Dealing with pain shouldn’t be a part of everyday life, which is why a custom-built program that helps reduce or eliminate pain and prevent injuries is the best way to get back to your normal standard of living and even improve that standard.

At OSR Physical Therapy, we have a firm belief that the methods of rehabilitation should be structured and customized to each patients’ specific needs. OSR has implemented rehabilitation programs that were built to get patients back to their normal standard of living in the shortest duration of time.

5 Injuries To Treat With Physical Therapy

Say the words “physical therapy” and most people automatically associate it with professional or career athletes. However, physical therapy isn’t just for sports-related injuries. Anyone at any time can get an injury; even just everyday life can cause pain that should not go untreated. Here are some of the most common injuries and conditions that physical therapy can treat:

1.       Sprains are one of the most common injuries, especially in sports.

Sports injuries is one of the most common reasons people seek physical therapy. In fact, one of the most widely seen injuries, especially sports-related, are sprains to ligaments. Sprains – a sudden over-stretching of ligaments – can happen during practice, a misstep on a training run, or just walking to the car. They are most common in the ankle, but falls can also cause sprains in the wrist and shoulder areas.

2.       Everyday muscle strains can lead to overuse injuries.

Strains – also called “pulled muscles” – are one of the number types of overuse injuries. Overusing a muscle can cause stress on the tendon, which can worsen over time. Muscle strains can happen to anyone, not just those living an active lifestyle. Even an accidental fall can cause a strain in the muscle that, if left untreated, can lead to a worse injury.

3.       If you have an “-itis”, it’s from overuse or misuse.

Tendinitis. Bursitis. Plantar fasciitis. These conditions are strains on the tissue that cause it to become swollen, irritated, and inflamed. Tendinitis and plantar fasciitis are common in the ankle and foot area, especially for runners – not to mention anyone who spends a lot of time on their feet. Bursitis is common in the hips and knee with any high-impact movement. These conditions always worsen if neglected, but with some rest and a strong conditioning program, you won’t be off your feet for very long. 

4.       Constantly losing your balance? It may be due to muscle instability.

Believe it or not, but muscle instability can be an actual condition in need of physical therapy. If this condition is in the ankle, it might be difficult to retain balance as the ankle continuously rolls to the side. Instability occurs most often in the ankle and foot. However, it can also be a problem associated with the head and neck, shoulder, and lower back. Chronic pain or movement trouble in those areas may be an indication of chronic instability. 

5.       Fractures – they’re not just sports-related.

Although fractures, such as stress fractures, are often associated with sports and physical activity, motor vehicle accidents, falls, overuse, and even osteoporosis can cause this condition. Stress fractures often occur in the ankle and foot and are typical overuse injuries, especially in athletes. However, other fractures can occur in the back and are caused by a traumatic event. No matter how the fracture occurs or how serious, physical therapy can help you recover and even prevent future injuries.

A strong physical therapy program will help you recover.

Physical therapy can help you recover from any injury or condition. From reducing and even eliminating pain to avoiding surgery, a good physical therapy program will provide multiple benefits. Furthermore, a program that is individualized to fit your needs will help you not only recover but avoid injuries in the future or manage chronic conditions. OSR Physical Therapy offers a wide-range of programs that focus on each individual’s pain and injury. If you’re in pain, contact one of our three locations to schedule a free consultation today.

To Seek Or Not To Seek Medical Attention

Whether you have pain in a new area or have been living with pain for a while, it’s sometimes hard to determine whether you should seek medical attention.

Perhaps it’s just soreness from working the muscles, you think.

Or, it’s just a dull ache – it’ll go away.

However, even a small ache could turn into a bigger problem and even a debilitating injury if it’s not seen right away.

So how do you know whether to seek medical attention for pain and when?

You should always seek medical attention for any kind of pain and right away, say most physical therapists.

If you’re concerned about pain, get it checked out.

“If an athlete or the general population is concerned about pain or an injury that they suffered they should be evaluated right away,” says Kyle McCuskey, a certified athletic trainer at OSR.

Kyle McCuskey, a certified athletic trainer at OSR Physical Therapy.

Physical therapy can help all kinds of pain – from traumatic injuries to lifelong chronic pain. Not only can a strong, individualized physical therapy program help you recover from any injury, but the goal is to always get you back to doing what you like to do – pain-free.

“The biggest benefit of physical therapy is improving quality of life and daily function. That’s the important thing and that’s what I keep in the back of my mind when I’m working with a patient,” says Matt Gannott, an OSR physical therapist that specializes in the spine.

For physical therapists, it’s never too early and you can never go wrong with getting your pain or injury evaluated. In fact, the longer you wait to get checked out, the harder it is to make an accurate diagnosis and start an effective treatment program.

The longer you wait, the longer rehabilitation may take.

Even if you think your pain is manageable or not serious enough, you should still seek medical attention. The result of waiting longer means possibly making the pain worse or it could lead to a more serious and debilitating injury. Rehabilitation could also take longer as it becomes harder to diagnose the problem the longer you wait.  

“It’s harder to determine what’s going on when a patient doesn’t come in right away,” says Gannott. “It’s more challenging to take steps backwards to determine the exact cause of the pain.”

However, even if you’ve had pain for a while that hasn’t been assessed, it doesn’t mean a full recovery is out of reach. With a strong physical therapy program that has been individualized for you, focusing on the causes of your pain, you’ll be on the road to recovery.

A consultation from a physical therapist is the first step to living pain free.

Having your pain assessed by a physical therapist or certified athletic trainer will help you get back to doing the activities you like to do. Setting up a consultation is the first step and OSR offers free consultations for anyone who is in pain and may need physical therapy.

Contact us today to set up a free consultation with one of our certified athletic trainers so that they can get you on an individualized physical therapy program designed specifically for you.