I think I sprained my ankle. Or maybe I strained it. Are you sure you didn't break it?

We toss those sports injury terms around all the time. But do we know what they actually mean?

In this week's Visit to the Training Room, Kai Aboulian, who is both a physical therapist and athletic trainer at Foundry Sports Medicine in Providence, helps shed some light on the most common injuries suffered on the athletic field:

Sprains vs. Strains
A sprain is a stretch or tear of a ligament, the band of connective tissues that joins the end of one bone with another. Sprains are caused by trauma such as a fall or a blow to the body that knocks a joint out of position and, in the worst case, ruptures the supporting ligaments.

Sprains can range from first degree (minor) to third degree (the worst). Areas of the body most vulnerable to sprains are ankles, knees and wrists. Signs of a sprain include varying degrees of tenderness or pain, bruising, inflammation, swelling, inability to move a limb or joint or joint looseness, laxity or instability.

A strain is a twist, pull or tear of a muscle or tendon - a cord of tissue connecting muscle to bone. It is an acute, non-contact injury that results from overstretching or over-contraction. Symptoms of a strain include pain, muscle spasm and loss of strength. While it’s hard to tell the difference between mild and moderate strains, severe strains not treated professionally can cause damage and loss of function.

Knee Injuries
Because of its complex structure and weight-bearing capacity, the knee is the most commonly injured joint. Each year, more than 5.5 million people visit orthopaedic surgeons for knee problems.

Knee injuries can range from mild to severe. Less severe would be tendinitis, patella femoral compression syndrome, iliotibial band syndrome and bursitis, to name a few.
More severe injuries include bone bruises or damage to the cartilage or ligaments. Major injuries are common to the Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), Meniscus injuries, Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), Medial collateral ligament (MCL) and the Lateral collateral ligament (LCL).

Knee injuries can result from a blow to or twist to the knee, from improper landing after a jump or from running too hard, too much or without proper warm up.

Other common sports injuries suffered by athletes are shin splints, Achilles tendon injuries, patella dislocation and hamstring, quadriceps and calf injuries.

Fractures
A fracture is a break in the bone that can occur from either a quick, one-time injury to the bone (acute fracture) or from repeated stress to the bone over time (stress fracture).

The most common symptom of a stress fracture is pain at the site that worsens with weight bearing activities. Tenderness and swelling often accompany the pain. This is very important for the coaches to recognize and refer the athlete to the trainers or the team physicians.

Dislocations
When the two bones that come together to form a joint become separated, the joint is described as being dislocated. Contact sports such as football, basketball and lacrosse, as well as high impact sports that can result in excessive stretching or falling, cause the majority of dislocations. A dislocated joint is an emergency situation that requires medical treatments.

If you have a specific sports medicine question for Kai, e-mail it to him at kai@foundrysportsmedicine.com.

Posted by Carolyn Thornton at 8:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Barrington Middle School girls cross country team improved to 10-0 with a decisive dual-meet victory over Bay View, Martin Junior High School, Riverside Middle school, Gordon School and Kickemuit Middle School on Tuesday.

Abigail Jones, Molly Malinowski and Alexandra August posted some impressive times in finishing 1-2-3, respectively, on the 1.9-mile course behind the Barrington High School tennis courts.

The defending middle school state champion, Barrington has lost just one meet over the last two seasons.

Paced by a 1-2 finish by Drew Beck and Scott Clemens, the Barrington boys pushed their record to 9-1 with a dual-meet victory over Martin, Riverside, Gordon and Kickemuit.

Top Five Barrington Girls:
1. Abigail Jones, 12:17
2. Molly Malinowski, 12:39
3. Alexandra August 12:42
6. Catherine Coogan 14:09
7. Rachel Tomaselli, 14:13

Top Five Barrington Boys
1. Drew Beck, 11:12
2. Scott Clemens, 11:22
4. Ryan Saeger, 12:33
5. Max Alexrod, 12:58
6. Andrew Hemingway, 12:59

Posted by Carolyn Thornton at 10:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Two undefeated teams will vie for supremacy in Division III when Moses Brown visits Ponaganset on Saturday at noon. Both teams are 5-0 overall; the Chieftains have four wins within the division and the Quakers have three.

Also in Division III, East Greenwich plays host to Smithfield. The Providence Journal will have a report on that game Saturday, and projo.com will have a slideshow of the action. The Avengers also come into this weekend undefeated within the division at 3-0 (4-1 overall).

The top team in Division I, Hendricken (4-0 Division I, 5-0 overall), travels to North Kingstown (1-2, 2-3), while fellow undefeated team La Salle (3-0, 5-0) is idle.

The full weekend schedule:
FRIDAY
Tolman at East Providence, 7
Cranston East at St. Raphael, 7
Classical at Cumberland, 7
Mt. Hope at Middletown, 7
Smithfield at East Greenwich, 7
Scituate at Pilgrim, 7
Barrington at Portsmouth, 7
North Smithfield at Warwick Vets, 7
Central Falls at Rogers, 7
Hendricken at North Kingstown, 7
Johnston at Central, 7
SATURDAY
Lincoln at Woonsocket, 2
Moses Brown at Ponaganset, 2
Westerly at South Kingstown, 2
Narragansett at Mount Pleasant, 3:30
Tiverton at Shea, 7

Posted by Mike McDermott at 10:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

While injuries are bound to happen in such contact sports as football, hockey and soccer, their incidence can be greatly minimized by wearing the proper protective gear and practicing proper technique.

``Protective headgear, mouth guards and wrist and shin guards have all been shown to be effective in preventing injuries,'' says Kai Aboulian, who is both a physical therapist and athletic trainer at Foundry Sports Medicine in Providence.

``It is crucial for the high school coaches, as well as youth sports managers to place an emphasis on safety and proper technique from the beginning stages of sports and recreational activities.

``Coaches who are teaching helmet or face-to-the-numbers tackling and blocking, are not only breaking the football rules, but are placing their players at risk for permanent paralysis or death.''

In this week's Visit to the Training Room on the projo.com High School Sports blog, Aboulian offers: Several suggestions for reducing head and neck injuries

* Athletes must be given proper conditioning exercises which will strengthen their necks and deep paraspinal muscles so they will be able to hold their heads and upper back firmly erect when making contact.

* Coaches should drill the athletes in the proper execution of the fundamental sport skills, particularly blocking and tackling. In the sport of football, for example, contact should be always be made with the head up and never with the top of the head / helmet. Initial contact should never be made with the head / helmet or face mask.

* Coaches and officials should discourage the players from using their heads as battering rams when blocking and tackling. The rules prohibiting spearing should be enforced in practice and in games. The players should be taught to respect the helmet as a protective device and that the helmet should not be used as a weapon.

* All coaches, physicians and athletic trainers should take special care to see that all of the players' equipment, particularly the helmet, is properly fitted and maintained.

* Players should check their equipment before and after each practice and game and make sure that it is not defective or broken.

* When a player has experienced head trauma or is showing the signs of head trauma, which include loss of consciousness, visual disturbances, headache, inability to walk correctly, obvious disorientation and memory loss, the athlete should receive immediate medical attention and should not be allowed to return to practice or game without permission from the proper medical authorities (physician and athletic trainer).

* A number of the players who died as a result of brain trauma complained of headaches or had previous concussions prior to their deaths. Players should be made aware of these signs and symptoms and also be encouraged to inform the team physician, athletic trainer or coach if they are experiencing any of the above mentioned signs and symptoms of brain trauma.

* The coach should never make the decision as to whether a player is fit to return to the game or active participation in a practice if that player experiences brain trauma. That is for the team athletic trainer and physician to decide, and coaches need to be in close contact and communication with them.

* Finally, another important effort has been and continues to be the improvement of football protective equipment. It is imperative that old and worn equipment be properly renovated or discarded and continued emphasis be placed on developing the best equipment possible. Manufacturers, coaches, athletic trainers and physicians should continue their joint and individual efforts toward this end.

(Some of the information was obtained from National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research.)

Posted by Carolyn Thornton at 4:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Now that the Green Bay Packers have cut cornerback Ahmad Carroll, who was taken to school on Monday night against the Philadelphia Eagles, it means a chance for Hendricken grad Will Blackmon to get more time on the field.

But still, Blackmon isn't thrilled about the way the Packers disposed of Carroll, according to an article in today's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

"It sucks that he had to go," Blackmon, said, according to the newspaper. "It was just unfortunate. Everyone has a bad game once in a while."

Click here to read the full story.

Posted by Mike McDermott at 2:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

During the summer months when the temperatures climb into the 90s, it's easy to understand why athletes need to drink plenty of fluids to replace all that is lost as you sweat to keep your core body temperature at a safe level inthe hot, humid conditions.

But what may not be as obvious is that proper hydration is still crucial during the cooler months

``Because of the cooler temperature, kids have the tendency not to drink and coaches don’t remember to remind them,'' says Kai Aboulian, a Physical Therapist and Athletic Trainer at Foundry Sports Medicine. ``Hydration is definitely neglected. I was the team athletic trainer for a few high schools over the last few years before I joined the football team at Brown, and I remember we had kids that did not drink during the game because they thought it was cool enough outside and they didn’t need as much water. However, that was the most crucial time for them to be hydrated.''

``The cumulative effects of fluid loss through sweat and urine, coupled with inadequate fluid intake, can impair performance and increase the risk of heat illness,'' Aboulian says.

Here, he offers some:
Tips for athletes to avoid dehydration and Heat Illness
* Drink water or sport drinks before, during and after activity.

* Weigh in and out of practice to learn your hydration needs, then drink enough fluid to minimize your weight loss during practice.
During recovery, athletes should drink 20-24 ounces of sodium-containing fluid for every pound of weight lost through sweat

* Know the warning signs of dehydration and heat illness such as: muscle cramps, decreased performance, headache, early fatigue, irritability, confusion, nausea and vomiting, staggering and difficulty paying attention.

* Watch your teammates and pay attention to your own body.
Tell your athletic trainer or coach if you have these symptoms or are feeling bad, and get the rest, fluid and any medical attention you may need.

``In general, be aware of red flags and don’t try to be a hero,'' Aboulian says. ``You are more valuable to your team and teammates when you are in your best condition.''

(Some of the above information gathered from the Gatorade Sports Science Institute.)

Posted by Carolyn Thornton at 10:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)