We’ve got your athletes covered from their thighs down to their toes.
by Alison Wu, MPT, Children’s Therapy Clinic
CBN Feb/Mar 2011
One of a cheerleader’s biggest assets is her legs: They’re the power source for her jumps, help her land elite tumbling runs and give her teammates something to hold on to during stunts. That’s why it’s so important to safe-guard against injuries in this area especially. We recently asked Alison Wu, MPT, from the Children’s Therapy Clinic in Seattle, WA, to give us the low-down on everything from ankle injuries to shin-splints to pulled hamstrings. Here’s what she had to say:
Q: What’s the most common ankle injury among cheerleaders?
A: The most common ankle injury sustained by cheerleaders is an ankle sprain. Most sprains occur when an athlete rolls or twists her ankle in an awkward way, usually during running, jumping or tumbling. This causes tearing of the stabilizing ligaments of the ankle and results in severe swelling, tenderness and restricted motion.
Q: How can cheerleaders prevent this injury?
A: There are several ways cheerleaders can prevent ankle injuries. Here are a few:
● Strengthening and conditioning year-round plays a huge role in preventing these types of injuries. Strength training, aerobic conditioning and flexibility training should all be addressed by each coach to ensure athletes are in top physical condition.
● Using proper technique when executing skills is also important to helping athletes prevent injuries. Good landing methods help in the prevention of knee and ankle injuries.
● Practicing in a safe environment with proper equipment—making sure your gym has the correct mats, pads and/or spring floors—can help decrease overuse injuries and protect the athlete’s body during falls.
● Supportive and appropriate shoes should always be worn when practicing and competing. If an athlete has a tendency to sprain her ankle (meaning she’s sprained it more than once), you might have her consider wearing an elastic bandage to support the ankle during workouts.
● Work within their skill level. Athletes should only work within their own level of ability. Advanced skills take time to master and should only be attempted once a student is ready, and with appropriate training and instruction. Attempting something outside a person’s skill level can result in serious injury.
● Proper rehabilitation is needed after injury. If your student has already experienced an injury, it’s important they be properly evaluated and treated accordingly. Ignoring an injury may result in more serious damage and an extended recovery period in the long run.
● Encourage your athletes to take care of their bodies by getting adequate sleep, maintaining a healthy diet and drinking lots of water.
Q: What’s the course of action for athletes with ankle injuries like the ones mentioned above?
A: If one of your athletes experiences an ankle sprain, immediately apply ice and a compression bandage if possible. Elevating the leg will also help decrease swelling and pain. Have them see a doctor to make sure a fracture hasn’t occurred; an MD can also provide them with a supportive bandage, air cast or crutches to protect the joint while it heals, if needed. If the sprain is severe enough, the student may be referred to a physical therapist who will help them regain strength, proprioception (joint awareness) and stability in the joint to decrease the chances of reoccurrence.
Q: What’s Osgood-Schlatter disease?
A: Osgood-Schlatter is inflammation of the bone, cartilage and/or tendon at the top of the shinbone where the tendon from the kneecap attaches. This can occur during adolescence, usually around the time of growth spurts (age 8 to 13 for girls, and 10 to 15 for boys). Growth spurts cause bones, muscles and tendons to grow quickly and not always at the same time.
The knee is one area of the body where significant growth occurs (called a growth plate). This makes the knee especially vulnerable to stress, particularly for those adolescents who participate in sports involving running, twisting and jumping. Individuals usually experience pain in the knee, which gets worse with exercise and is relieved when at rest. There will often be swelling or tenderness under the knee over the shin bone that will usually result in limping.
Q: Is there anything an athlete can do to prevent Osgood-Schlatter?
A: Unfortunately, no. Pain and severity can be decreased, however, by doing the following:
- Wearing orthotic insoles and/or supportive shoes when exercising
- Warming up and stretching before practice and/or competition (especially the hamstrings and quadriceps muscles)
- Wearing a supportive brace (prescribed by your doctor)
- Strengthening the hamstrings and quadriceps muscles (lunges, squats, leg presses, etc.)
- Take breaks and rest if experiencing pain (ice and elevation can help as well)
Q: What’s recovery like for those with Osgood-Schlatter?
A: As growth spurts end and the body’s structures have time to “catch up” in strength and flexibility, the body naturally recovers. Symptom relief (pain, swelling, limping) can be achieved with rest, ice, elevation and ibuprofen, as well as the items listed above.
Q: What are shin splints?
A: Shin splints occur when the muscles attached to the inner side of the shinbone become inflamed, causing pain and tenderness along the entire edge of the shinbone. It usually feels worse at the beginning and end of physical activity, especially after running.
Q: What can athletes do to prevent them?
A: There are several ways an athlete can prevent shin splints. The first is to wear supportive shoes with cushioned insoles, if practicing on nonspring surfaces. Warming up before practice, with special attention paid to stretching the calf muscles, is also important. Shin splints often occur when an athlete puts too much stress on the structures of the leg, so taking rests in between practice sessions and progressing appropriately while running, is another way to prevent painful shin splints.
Q: What can an athlete do to minimize the pain and heal?
A: Icing the shin for 30 minutes every three to four hours for two to three days is the best way to treat acute shin splints. You can also try massaging your shin with ice by filling a small Dixie cup with water and freezing it. Unwrap the top of the cup and run the ice over the top and sides of the shin for 5 to 10 minutes. Taking ibuprofen before and after practice can also help manage pain.
Q: What happens when an athlete pulls her hamstring?
A: It means she’s torn one or more of the hamstring muscles (the muscles located on the back of the thigh). She’ll usually feel a sharp, sudden pain in the back of the leg during physical activity and experience swelling and muscle tightness in the same area. Depending on the severity of the tear, some athletes will be unable to walk without severe pain.
Q: How can a student prevent a pulled hamstring?
A: Warming up before vigorous activity, stretching the hamstrings, staying well-hydrated, listening to your body (working within your skill level and taking breaks as needed) and strengthening the hamstring muscles are all ways to prevent hamstring pulls.
Q: What can an athlete do to help her recover?
A: Rest, ice, compression and elevation (RICE) will all help the recovery process and manage pain and swelling. The athlete’s doctor may refer her to a physical therapist to help her stretch and strengthen her hamstrings within the pain-free range.
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