OSTEOPATHIC SPORTS MEDICINE

Getting You Back In The Game

sports medicine

Contact us at
540-232-8405

Dedicated to Your Optimal Health from Diagnosis Through Recovery

From daily exercise to competitive sports, your care and full recovery matter to us. VCOM Sports & Osteopathic Medicine of Blacksburg, VA, is proud to offer comprehensive osteopathic sports medicine care to get you back in the game and keep you in top condition. Your goals are our goals, whether it is getting back on the field or back to walking around the block. We are dedicated to your personalized recovery plan. Our team of highly trained DOs can help you fully heal from an injury and learn how to prevent injuries in the future. We offer unparalleled rehabilitation treatments that focus on the whole athlete and not just the injury or condition.

We provide a holistic approach to osteopathic sports medicine that involves:

  • Comprehensive health care for active individuals and athletes from young to the young in spirit
  • Use of hands-on manual therapy treatments to relieve musculoskeletal pain and promote healing
  • Utilize specialized and advanced skills to empower the body to naturally heal itself
  • A unique knowledge of the principles of athletic conditioning and training
  • Nutritional guidance to build strength and endurance to support the demanding activities of athletes

SPORTS MEDICINE TREATMENT PROCESS

The osteopathic sports medicine treatment process begins with a thorough health history and physical examination. The data collected during the history intake and the examination will help us to establish a working diagnosis and choose the appropriate treatment options that will help you begin to heal. We may need additional diagnostics such as x-rays and ultrasound to make a truly accurate assessment of an injury or chronic condition.

Your Blacksburg, VA sports medicine experts will personalize a treatment plan that may consist of multiple disciplines such as osteopathic manipulation, physical therapy and rehabilitation treatments. As your primary care sports medicine specialists, we provide nonsurgical care for sports or activity related musculoskeletal injuries affecting the bones, ligaments, tendons, muscles and joints. At VCOM Sports & Osteopathic Medicine, we want to give you every opportunity to regain function with nonsurgical therapies and treatments designed to speed up the healing process.

VICTORY OVER YOUR INJURIES

Using the most advanced nonsurgical treatment options and the latest in diagnostic tools, VCOM Sports & Osteopathic Medicine of Blacksburg, VA treats a wide range of sports related injuries and ailments including, but not limited to:

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) that is caused by a blow to the head, a bump, fall or another injury that shakes the brain inside the skull. Concussions are especially a concern among young athletes involved in high contact sports. Signs and symptoms of a concussion usually show up soon after the injury. However, in some cases symptoms may take a few hours or a day to appear. A concussion can impact the whole person and affect their performances in all areas of life. All concussions need observation and time to heal.

At VCOM Sports & Osteopathic Medicine of Blacksburg, VA, we are highly trained in the diagnosis and treatment of concussions. We understand that even if a concussion is mild with a patient exhibiting only a few symptoms, the body can become overwhelmed which can affect its self-healing capacity.

The role of the osteopathic doctor aims to:

  • Use hands on techniques such as OMT to facilitate healing and relief of symptoms
  • Correct imbalances
  • Remove restrictions in tissue, bones and fluid

People heal at different rates in response to a concussion and, therefore, it is important to recognize that healing is an ongoing process. At VCOM Sports & Osteopathic Medicine, we educate our athletes involved in high contact sports about the prevention of concussion to include:

  • Teaching young athletes to respect the rules of their sport is part of good coaching
  • Wear the appropriate equipment for your sport and wear it properly. Always close a chin strap if your sport requires a helmet; many concussions occur during practice
  • Examine the playing field for uneven areas or holes
  • Make sure that end posts are padded sufficiently
  • Practice good sportsmanship. Teaching good sportsmanship is part of good coaching and good parenting minimizing unnecessary aggression on the field
  • Learn and use proper technique for your sport

Symptoms of Concussion
It is not always easy to tell if you have a concussion. You don’t have to pass out (lose consciousness) to have a concussion. Symptoms of a concussion range from mild to severe and can last for hours, days, weeks, or even months. If you notice any symptoms of a concussion, contact your doctor.

Physical symptoms of a concussion include:

  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Headache and pressure in head
  • Fuzzy or blurry vision
  • Dizziness
  • Sensitivity to light or noise
  • Balance problems
  • Feeling tired or having no energy

Diagnosing a Concussion
Seek medical attention right away if you have sustained an injury or blow to the head and are showing symptoms of a concussion. If a doctor thinks that you have a concussion, he or she will ask questions about the injury. Your doctor may test your reflexes and order a CT Scan or an MRI to make sure the brain is not swelling, bleeding or bruised.

Treatment for Concussion
The treatment for a concussion involves resting and abstaining from excessive physical activity until your doctor has determined it is safe. Cognitive and physical rest is the best way to recover from a concussion. Initially, getting plenty of sleep and avoiding activities that are mentally and physically demanding may be necessary for a measure of time after a concussion.

At VCOM Sports & Osteopathic Medicine, we treat concussions based on the latest concussion research. At the appropriate time after a concussion, you may begin to engage in brain stimulating activities that can help you recover faster. We will go over the latest research with you or your child and advise a rehabilitation program with the appropriate therapies to ensure optimal progress and healing.

Strains and sprains are common sports and non sports related injuries that can occur when you least expect it. People can roll their ankles on uneven pavement or pull a hamstring performing a layup. Sprains are injuries that occur when a ligament becomes stretched too far or torn. Sprains are usually mild injuries that can be effectively managed with the RICE protocol (rest, ice, compression and elevation). The most common part of the body that is sprained is the ankle. After a sprain, you may experience pain, swelling, bruising and limited function. Using the RICE protocol will help decrease the inflammation and help get you feeling better.

Strains are injuries that occur when a muscle or tendons around a joint become overstretched or torn. Many people experience strains in their lower back or hamstrings after lifting something heavy or after vigorous exercise. Strains may take some time to heal and using the RICE protocol for 24-48 hours after injury is also the recommended treatment for strains.

If you have suffered a sprain or a strain and would like to learn more about the osteopathic approach to healing, you’ve come to the right place. At VCOM Sports & Osteopathic Medicine of Blacksburg, VA, we analyze your body as a whole and assess the function of your muscles to determine if there is a weakness or instability that may have caused your sprain or strain. Through osteopathic manipulative therapy, we can also address any chronic strain patterns that may prevent you from functioning at your optimal health. Often, past injuries that have not been released or treated can impede flexibility in the body and predispose it to repeated injuries. Your Blacksburg, VA osteopathic sports medicine experts have the skills and experience to diagnose, treat and manage your recovery from an injury such as a sprain or strain. We support your recovery through prescribing specific rehabilitation exercises that will strengthen an area of weakness and use hands on treatment modalities that promote your body’s ability to heal itself.

Dislocations are painful injuries that can occur during high contact sports, after a fall or car accident. A dislocation occurs when the ends of the bones in a joint are forced out of their normal position causing injury to the joint. This can be a very painful experience that causes deformation and immobility of the joint. The most common parts of the body that are susceptible to dislocation are the fingers and the shoulder. Often, the dislocation of a joint makes you more likely to reinjure the joint and have repeated dislocations.

The treatment for a dislocation depends on which joint you have dislocated, but the steps involved may include:

  • Reduction – gentle maneuvers used to help get your bones back into the proper position
  • Immobilization – temporary immobilization after getting the joint back in place can help the supporting tissues, blood vessels and nerves heal from the injury
  • Rehabilitation – after the temporary immobilization, you will be prescribed a rehabilitation plan to rebuild strength and range of motion of the joint

The main concern after a dislocation injury has occured is the instability of the joint, or its propensity to become dislocated repeatedly. After a period of rest and immobilization, VCOM Sports & Osteopathic Medicine will customize a recovery and rehabilitation plan that aims to rebuild the strength of the surrounding muscles, improve range of motion and ultimately decrease instability. The osteopathic approach to recovery from this type of injury involves hands on techniques to reduce painful trigger points around the joint and stimulate blood flow to encourage healing.

If you are a runner, dancer or involved in high impact exercise, you may be familiar with the dull ache of shin splints. Pain along the shin bone, or tibia, is not uncommon in athletes who have recently changed or increased their training routines. Shin splints are caused by repetitive stress to the tibia and the surrounding connective tissue that attaches the muscle to the bone. Shin splints are usually referred to as an overuse injury and if temporary rest is not taken, can progress to a stress reaction or micro stress fractures in the tibia.

At VCOM Sports & Osteopathic Medicine, we offer treatment modalities that address the pain associated with shin splints. We will analyze the biomechanical problems within the lower leg to ensure that any underlying issues are addressed. We will create a rehabilitation treatment plan that may include myofascial release and soft tissue work. We will strive to correct any biomechanical problems to help reduce the future occurrence of shin splints. VCOM Sports & Osteopathic Medicine wants you to be mindful of the pain that you experience during physical activities as pain is the body’s way of communicating that it may need to rest.

Lower and upper back pain is quite common as we age. Some people may have to sit for their job for extended amounts of time and therefore certain muscles of the lower back become weaker and not as flexible resulting in pain. Most low back problems are the result of the normal wear and tear on the spine over an extended period of time which can lead to problems with the associated muscles, ligaments and joints of the low back. Between each vertebrae is a disc that is made of strong fibrous tissue and filled with a fluid that provides cushion between the vertebrae. A slipped or herniated disc is an injury that can occur from an accident, a fall or as an overuse injury. This often refers pain to other areas of the body.

Back pain is one of the most common ailments treated by osteopathic doctors and the unique techniques implemented to provide pain relief and restore the body’s natural healing power are highly effective and long lasting. One of the primary goals of the osteopath in treating back problems is to help the muscles relax around the nerves and vertebrae. These treatments not only reduce the pain, but reestablish good blood flow to the area to promote healing.

Following an acute bout of pain or injury, the sports medicine experts at VCOM Sports & Osteopathic Medicine will customize a rehabilitative program to include stretches and exercises that will help you regain strength and function.

Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow refer to pain caused by inflammation in the tendons that attach the bone of the elbow to the forearm muscles. Both conditions are considered overuse injuries which may be acquired by repetitive motion involving your arm and wrist. You don’t actually have to play tennis or golf to have this overuse injury. One of the essential treatments for tennis or golfer’s elbow is rest in order to reduce the amount of strain in your elbow and forearm.

At VCOM Sports & Osteopathic Medicine, we take special care considering all aspects of your lifestyle to give you a proper diagnosis and treatment options that will expedite recovery. Our osteopathic sports medicine experts are highly trained to provide a wide variety of hands on techniques such as OMT, myofascial release, soft-tissue massage and joint manipulation. The goal of treatment is to allow the muscle and tendon to heal and mobilize the joint to reduce the overuse of the injured muscles and tendon.

Runner’s knee is an umbrella term that is used to describe several inflammatory conditions that cause pain around the kneecap area. The dull, aching pain around or behind the kneecap (patella) may be felt during activities such as:

  • Walking
  • Running
  • Kneeling
  • Squatting
  • Standing for long periods of time

The symptoms of runner’s knee may include swelling and a popping or grinding sound in the knee. There are numerous causes of runner’s knee with the main cause stemming from overuse. The primary treatment for runner’s knee is the RICE protocol.

Your Blacksburg, VA sports medicine osteopaths are highly trained and experienced in treating runner’s knee. During a physical examination, we will evaluate the functional biomechanics of your knee and identify any areas of overloading or undue stress. Gathering this data from your physical examination will help us plan a rehabilitation program that will serve your needs and get your back in action as soon as possible. The treatments used to address runner’s knee involve hands on osteopathic manipulative therapy to relieve pain, improve joint function and stimulate blood flow to the injured area which promotes healing.

The achilles tendon is the thick band of tissue that connects the heel bone to the calf muscle of your lower leg. Achilles tendinitis refers to inflammation of that tendon caused by overuse. Anyone participating in any sport can develop achilles tendinitis, it is not exclusive to runner’s. Listening to your body and respecting its pain threshold are essential in managing this type of injury. Further use of an injured or inflamed tendon may result in microtears or even rupture of the tendon.

VCOM Sports & Osteopathic Medicine can provide a proper diagnosis and treatment plan to help you heal from achilles tendinitis and prevent future recurrence. Some techniques doctors of osteopathy use to treat achilles tendinitis include:

  • Soft tissue massage of lower leg
  • Ultrasound therapy
  • OMT
  • Joint mobilization
  • Recommending ice after your activities
  • At the right time, introducing stretching and strengthening exercises to restore function and build strength to help avoid future injury
  • Recommendations on proper footwear

Did you know that you are already at an advantage by choosing an osteopathic doctor to treat your sports related injury or ailment? Doctors of Osteopathy have additional training in anatomy and physiology and over 2,000 hours of touch-training. Doctors of Osteopathy have a well developed sense of palpation and are highly trained in spinal and joint manipulation.

If you have suffered an injury or have a chronic condition that keeps you from performing at your peak condition, VCOM Sports & Osteopathic Medicine will create a personalized treatment plan that may include rehabilitation, osteopathic manipulative therapy, nutrition counseling, soft tissue massage and proper performance techniques. All of these tools used independently or collectively can help heal and stabilize your injury and get you back in the game as soon as possible. Our team of experts is with you from diagnosis through recovery. If you are interested in learning more about how an integrative and holistic approach to injury can help you, call (540) 232-8405.