Sports Medicine Newsletter

St. Charles offers cutting edge treatment regenerative medicine options for patients who desire to return to sport, or a physically active lifestyle. The human body has an innate ability to heal itself and the experts at St. Charles can prompt the body to do what it is designed to do.

Our regenerative medicine specialists use agents, also called orthobiologics, such as PRP (platelet rich plasma) and BMAC (bone marrow aspirate concentrate) to treat a diverse range of orthopedic and sports injuries, both acute and chronic. Treatments can potentially repair damaged tissues such as muscle, tendons, ligaments and cartilage, and reduce osteoarthritic pain while improving function.

This is accomplished by taking the healing growth factors which naturally exist in our body’s blood and bone marrow, concentrating them and placing them in the injured area. The cells then change the environment into one which optimizes healing with a more native cell type. Of course, the concentration of the different types of cells must be carefully determined by the regenerative medicine specialist, as each location and type of injury requires specific formulation.

If you are interested in learning more about regenerative medicine treatment at St. Charles, call (631) 474-6797.

www.stcharles.org/sportsmed

Orthobiologics: Improving Quality of LifeFOR ATHLETES AND NON-ATHLETES ALIKE

By Dr. Danielle DeGiorgio, DO, FAAPMRNon-Operative Sports Medicine Specialist, St. Charles

Winter

St.CharlesSports Medicine

Join the St. Charles Sports

Medicine Group on Facebook.

https://goo.gl/xUVWiZ

Low back pain is a fairly common complaint in gymnasts. It has been reported that female gymnasts have a four times greater incidence of low back

pain than a comparable general female population. The most common diagnosis of the low back in this population is called a spondylolysis

with or without listhesis. This is when a stress fracture develops in a part of the vertebra that connects the front to the back of another

vertebra. The injury occurs due to repetitive backbending and rotation of the lower back. If this entity occurs on both sides of the vertebra, there can be a forward slippage of the vertebra compared to the surrounding vertebrae.

It has been suggested that muscular fatigue plays an important role in the development of stress fractures so that overtraining

or trying skills above the gymnast’s physical ability will fatigue the system putting them at risk for stress injury. An athlete will initially complain of pain only in hyperextension of the low back such as with a back walkover or back handspring. There will be little to no pain in neutral or bending activities such as layouts and tucks. But without treatment, the pain may become more pervasive involving

all sports activities and may even cause pain with day to day activities and during sleep. Generally, the pain from a spondylolysis

will be localized to the low back without any symptoms shooting into the legs.

It is important that a gymnast with low back pain be thoroughly evaluated at the onset

of pain to avoid long term complications from this potential diagnosis. The diagnosis can be confirmed with imaging

such as X-ray, MRI, bone scan, and/or CT scan. Once the diagnosis is confirmed, relative restriction in activities is imperative. Often, just restricting extension based exercises but allowing for supervised stretching and core stabilization exercises in physical therapy is sufficient to manage the pain and allow for healing. Infrequently, a brace may be recommended to help the athlete maintain a more flexion based posture. It is important to follow a slow, graduated increase in activity watching for any return in pain before returning to a full training schedule.

For treatment of low back pain at St. Charles Sports Medicine,

please call (631) 474-6797.

Low Back Pain in GymnastsBy Hayley Queller, MD

Non-Operative Sports Medicine Specialist, St. Charles

2 St. Charles Hospital | Sports Medicine Newsletter | Winter

Common Knee Injuries in Youth Basketball Players

By Michael J. Sileo, MD, FAAOSDual Board Certified, Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine

As the winter sports season gets underway, many of youth athletes will start the transition from the most popular fall sports (football, soccer) to indoor sports for the next three months (basketball, volleyball, wrestling). With this change in season comes the inevitable evolution of knee injuries seen by the experienced athletic trainers, physical therapists, and sports medicine subspecialists at St. Charles.

Injuries caused by repetitive stresses about the knee are the most common type of injury encountered this time of year. These type of injuries can be classified into:

1) Apophyseal knee injuries – otherwise known as “growth plate” injuries. It’s important to keep in mind that kids are not just small adults. From a musculoskeletal standpoint, they have areas of the bone that allows for growth, but also more prone in injury. Injuries to the growth plate most commonly are caused by flexibility deficits in combination with repetitive trauma. Always be suspicious of a diagnosis of a “knee sprain” in a young athlete!

2) Overuse injuries – patella tendinitis, shin splints, stress fractures. Overuse injuries present a unique challenge as most athletes are reluctant to let their coach or parent know for fear of being taken out of competition. Early identification and proactive treatment are key to a full and speedy recovery!

3) Muscle strains – most commonly of the quadriceps, hamstring, calf, and hip flexor. Muscle strains vary in severity from mild to severe, and can take from 7 days to six weeks to heal completely, depending on severity and treatment.

The overwhelming majority of these overuse knee injuries are treated initially with “RICE” (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation). Seeking treatment EARLY from a St. Charles trainer, therapist, or sports medicine specialist can help expedite the healing process, usually with the application of anti-inflammatory medication, focused and supervised therapy, modalities, and close follow-up.

Fortunately, it is much less common to see a serious ligament or cartilage injury in season, such as an injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), collateral ligaments, meniscus, or patella (knee cap). These injuries frequently require more aggressive but minimally invasive treatment to address the injury. Seeking the care of a board certified orthopedic sports medicine specialist at St. Charles can help expedite a full recovery by applying innovative and the most advanced treatment techniques.

For treatment with a St. Charles specialist, please call (631) 474-6797.

3St. Charles Hospital | Sports Medicine Newsletter | Winter

Low Back Pain in GymnastsBy Hayley Queller, MD

Non-Operative Sports Medicine Specialist, St. Charles

Screenings are completed by St. Charles Sports Physical Therapists and help prevent shoulder and elbow injuries.

St.CharlesSports Medicine

$150 for 3 one-hour sessions. First assessment performed 8 weeks before preseason. Final assessment performed at the start of preseason.

• Mobility and ROM assessment of shoulder, elbow, and lower body

• Strength Testing of Upper and Lower Limbs

• Core Endurance Testing

• Upper Body Stability Testing

• Balance and Perception Testing

• Individually tailored program to address deficits

Call (631) 474-6797 to set your appointment.

Pre-Season Physical Performance Evaluations

for Baseball Players

4 St. Charles Hospital | Sports Medicine Newsletter | Winter