Sports Injuries - How Bad Is It? Should I Get It Checked Out? (Concierge Physical Therapy NYC)

Sports Injuries - "How Bad Is It?" - "Should I Get It Checked Out?" (Concierge Physical Therapy NYC)

​Were you recently playing organized sports - or a weekend league - where you "pulled something" or "felt something pop?"...

​And, you want to know "How bad is it?",

Or, you'll ask us, "Should I get it checked out?"...

​Below, is an easy classification of different Muscle Injuries, describing different levels of severity, and when you should get it checked out by a Doctor of Physical Therapy.

(By the way, we do offer Diagnostic Ultrasound to see inside you muscles, tendons, and ligaments, to see if you tore something or not.  More on that below.)

Common Sports Injuries In New York City:

- Hamstring Strain,
- Ankle Sprain ("Rolled my ankle"),
- Calf or Achilles Strain,
- Knee Pain,
- Knee Joint Sprain ("Felt a pop in my knee"),
​- Oblique Strain,
- Shoulder Pain,
- Lower Back Strain,
- and, more.

Over-Exertion Related Disorder:

1a. Fatigue Induced Muscle Disorder

Definition:
- Increased muscle tone due to overexertion

Symptom: 
- Aching muscle firmness,
- Increased firmness with continued activity,
- Pain at rest or with gentle movement,

Clinical signs:
- Dull, diffuse, tolerable pain,
- Client says "muscle tightness",

Location: 
- involvement of the entire muscle,

Diagnostic Ultrasound Imaging/MRI:
- Negative.

1b. Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)

Definition: 
- General muscle soreness, discomfort, or pain,
- After unaccustomed movements,

Symptoms:
- Discomfort starting 24-48 hours after lifting weights or activity,
- Acute inflammation pain,
- Pain or moderate discomfort at rest,

Clinical Signs:
- Swelling or muscle fullness,
- Muscle stiffness or tightness,
- Less range of motion,
- Pain or discomfort when using these muscle groups,

Location:
- Entire muscle or muscle group,

Diagnostic Ultrasound Imaging/MRI:
- Negative or only swelling seen.

Neuromuscular Disorder

2a. Spine-Related Muscle Disorder

Definition: 
- Increased muscle tone due to spinal or lumbo-pelvic disorder,
 
Symptom:
- Aching firmness,
- Increasing with continued activity,
- No pain at rest,

Clinical Signs:
- Increased muscle tone or muscle tension,
- Less often or no signs of swelling around spine or legs,
- Skin sensitivity to touch or contact (sitting back into chair or when lying down),
- Defensive reaction to stretching legs or extending one or both legs

Location: 
- Muscle bundle or larger muscle groups,

Diagnostic Ultrasound Imaging/MRI:
- Negative or swelling only.

2b. Muscle-Related Neuromuscular Disorder

Definition:
- Area of increased muscle tone across multiple muscles or muscle groups,

Symptom:
- Aching,
- Gradual muscle firmness and tone,
- Cramp-like pain or discomfort,

Clinical Signs:
- Increased muscle tone or muscle tension,
- Some swelling may be seen or felt,
- Stretching leads to relief,

Location: 
- Mostly entire length of the muscle or multiple muscles,

Diagnostic Ultrasound Imaging/MRI:
- Negative or swelling only.

Minor Partial Muscle Tear

3a. Minor Partial Muscle Tear

​Definition: 
- Tear with a maximum diameter of less than half of the muscle/tendon/fascial bundle,

Symptom:
- Sharp, needle-like or stabbing pain,
- Athletes often report feeling a "snap" or "pop",

Clinical Signs:
- Well defined localized pain (you can point right to the area),
- Probably palpable defect in fiber structure within the muscle or tendon,
- Stretch induced pain and aggravation,

Location:
- Typically the muscle-tendon junction (not the "belly" of the muscle",

Diagnostic Ultrasound Imaging/MRI:
- Positive for more minimal up to moderate muscle-tendon junction,

3b. Moderate Partial Muscle Tear

​Definition:
- Tear with a diameter greater than a fascicle/bundle,

Symptom:
- Stabbing, sharp pain,
- Noticeable tearing at time of injury,
- Athletes and clients report feeling a "snap" followed by a specific localized pain,

Clinical Signs:
- Well defined localized pain,
- Palpable defect in muscle/tendon structure,
- Often a hematoma (as in a "bump"),
- Stretch results in pain aggravation,

Location:
- Typically at the muscle-tendon junction,

Diagnostic Ultrasound Imaging/MRI:
- Positive for moderate muscle-tendon junction disruption and may also show retraction (separation or muscle/tendon "pulled away from its origin").

4. (Sub)Total Muscle Tear / Tendinitis Avulsion

​Definition:
- Tear involving the subtotal/complete muscle diameter/tendinous injury involving the bone-tendon junction,

Symptom:
- Dull pain at time of injury,
- Noticeable tearing,
- Athletes and clients often report feeling a "snap,"

Clinical Signs:
- Large defect in the muscle
- Hematoma ("bump" and/or swelling),
- Palpable gap (you press your finger into this site and feel a separation or opening of the muscle),
- Pain with movement,

Location: 
- Mostly at the muscle-tendon junction.

Diagnostic Ultrasound Imaging/MRI: 
- Positive subtotal/complete discontinuity of muscle/tendon.

Enquire: Diagnostic Ultrasound Imaging

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