V6.9
09.2016
SAINT FRANCIS
SPORTS MEDICINE
Making athletes of all ages BETTER, STRONGER, FASTER since 1995.
Five Simple Steps to Prevent the Pain of Shin Splints
Minimize the Risk of Youth Sports Injuries with
Parental Guidance
Schroeder Encourages Coaches to be Accountable at
Fall Coaches Clinic
Five Simple Steps to Prevent
the Pain of Shin Splints
Few lower leg injuries are more frustrating – or more
common – than the dreaded shin splints. Through
seemingly no fault of your own, what starts out as an
annoying discomfort can quickly escalate into a full-
SERVICES
Athletic Republic™ ................573-331-5345
Concussion Clinic .................573-339-4544
blown injury crisis.
Injury Screening ....................573-331-5153
Shin splint pain is caused by inflammation of muscles
Impact Testing ......................573-331-5980
and other soft tissues from the pounding of stressful
activities such as distance running or the stop-and-go
Outpatient Rehabilitation......573-331-5153
of tennis, basketball, football, volleyball and other sports.
Unfortunately, shin splints can lead to other injuries as well.
“We often see shin splints in athletes
who suddenly increase their activity
levels,” said Tonya Rinda, PT, senior
physical therapist at Saint Francis
Medical Center. “For example,
runners who significantly increase
their mileage when cross country
season starts are particularly at risk
Tonya Rinda, PT,
Senior Physical Therapist
for developing stress reactions such
as shin splints.”
For more information, please visit
www.sfmc.net or call 573-331-5153.
Unfortunately, the recovery period from shin splints
is not fast – on average about 71 days according to a
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recent study. But there are ways to strengthen your body
to prevent or minimize their onset. Here are five easy
exercises that help lower legs prepare for the pounding
of a sports season:
Walk around on the foot – With your shoes and socks off,
• Try low-impact cardio such as elliptical, water
exercise or biking
• Reduce mileage and run on soft surfaces such
as grass
For more information about prevention and treatment of
walk several lengths of your living room first just on your
shin splints, please call the Sports Medicine team at
toes, then just on your heels, then just on the outsides of
Saint Francis Medical Center at 573-331-5153.
your feet, and finally just on the insides of your feet.
Monster walks – With your feet shoulder-width apart,
place a resistance band around your thighs and step
forward and toward the right with your right leg. Then
Minimize the Risk of Youth Sports
Injuries with Parental Guidance
bring your left leg up to meet your right and step out
With more than 38 million children and adolescents
toward the left. Walk backward in the same order and
participating in organized sports around the country
repeat the process several times.
and still others taking part in informal activities, injuries
are a predictable part of the story. In fact, the Centers
Toe curls – Stand with your feet hip-width apart at the
for Disease Control and Prevention says more than
edge of a towel. Gather the towel with the toes of your
2.6 million kids age 19 or younger visit the emergency
left foot and slowly pull it toward you. Repeat with the
department each year for sports-related injuries, and
right foot and perform a few reps.
more still pay a visit to their primary care provider.
One-legged bridges – Lie on your back with your arms
“It’s important that parents
out to the sides and knees bent. Lift your hips off the
understand injuries come with the
floor and extend your right leg out for 20-30 seconds,
territory and continue encouraging
then lower it and repeat with your left leg. Eventually
their children to live active lives,”
work up to the point you can hold this position for
said David Enderle, ATC, athletic
60 seconds.
trainer at Saint Francis Medical
Center. “When injuries do occur,
Heel drops – Stand on your toes on the edge of a step.
work with your team’s athletic
Shift your weight to your left leg and take your right foot
off the step. Lower your left heel down slowly and then
slowly back up. Repeat a few times and then do the
same with your right foot.
Minimizing the pain
“Athletes always want to push through the pain of shin
David Enderle, ATC,
Athletic Trainer
training staff or your family
physician to develop an effective
treatment plan.”
Teaching young athletes the importance of hydration,
warming up and warming down, the use of safety
equipment and other preventive measures is a good first
splints, which is possible in the early stages of the injury,”
step. Instilling healthy habits early in life makes it easier to
Rinda said. “The key is to minimize the inflammation
maintain them during the rebellious teen years.
and help the body heal.”
Here are a few ideas to minimize the pain:
• Experiment with shoe inserts that add cushion
and lift your arches
• Ice massage with comfortable pressure to the
painful areas
Remember this acronym – RICE
When in doubt about how to treat a minor injury, rest, ice,
compression, elevation (RICE) is a good place to start.
Serious injuries such as fractures, dislocation or severe
pain will require a trip to the emergency department, but
the typical sprains and strains that come with athletic
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injury. Many minor injuries develop into more significant
Schroeder Encourages Coaches
to be Accountable at Fall
Coaches Clinic
injuries when athletes attempt to “just push through it.”
Great leaders are able to create a vision that motivates
participation often respond well to the tried and true
benefits of RICE.
Encourage your child to listen to their body if they suffer an
While battling through adversity certainly helps develop
mental toughness, there is a line where pain takes the fun
out of participation and puts the child’s health at risk.
“Treatment of sports-related injuries vary by the type of
injury and age or the athlete, but RICE is a good first step
in helping the body heal,” Enderle said. “Make sure to
see a medical professional for pain that doesn’t go away or
causes the athlete to alter their movements.”
Growth plate injuries
Injuries to the growth plates can cause long-term issues for
young athletes. The growth plate is the area of developing
tissues at the end of the long bones in the arms, hands,
legs and feet. These plates are replaced by solid bone
when growth concludes during adolescence.
and inspires their team to overcome adversity and work
hard toward shared goals. Retired NFL quarterback Jay
Schroeder discussed key aspects of effective leadership
during his keynote address at the 12th annual Fall Coaches
Clinic, held September 15 at Saint Francis Medical Center.
“A great leader is fair, listens, is hard-working, consistent
and stays cool under pressure,” Schroeder said. “If you’re
not willing to spend as much time physically coaching
athletes as you are mentally, then do not coach.”
Schroeder, best known for his career with the Washington
Redskins, urged attendees to make sure their actions are
consistent with their message when dealing with student
athletes. “If you tell your kids one thing and do something
else, it’s never going to happen,” he said. “Be a role
model. Be accountable.”
It is important to consult an orthopedic surgeon in the
event of a growth plate injury.
Repetitive motion injuries
The current state of interscholastic sports often features
athletes who have had a personal coach since elementary
school. Schroeder said it’s imperative that coaches set
These injuries occur from overuse of muscles and
expectations up front, particularly with star athletes,
tendons, and often are very painful for the athlete.
and create a team-centered focus. Little things such as
respect for teachers and completing homework on time
Tendinitis and other overuse injuries often don’t show up
will carry over to the athletic field. “If they work hard in
on X-rays, making RICE an effective first-line treatment
the classroom, they’re going to work hard on the field,”
option (see above).
he said. “You need to do more than coach.”
“Strength training, even for young athletes, is a good
way to prepare the body for athletic participation and
Schroeder highlighted five points where coaches can
help athletes excel:
injury prevention,” Enderle said. “Parents also should be
mindful of heat-related safety for their children, along
with the importance of sunscreen and sport-specific
safety equipment.”
For more information about prevention and treatment of
musculoskeletal sports injuries in youth, please call the
Sports Medicine team at Saint Francis Medical Center
at 573-331-5153.
•
Know when it’s time to rest
•
What to eat, what to drink
•
Encourage them to do other sports
•
Help them be better students
•
Help them with time management
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SEMO Team Physician Addresses ACLs
Southeast Missouri State University team physician
James M. Edwards, MD, an orthopedic surgeon with
Advanced Orthopedic Specialists in Cape Girardeau,
updated Coaches Clinic attendees on some of the latest
techniques pertaining to treatment and prevention of
anterior cruciate ligament tears.
Edwards explained some of the differences
between autograft and allograft techniques in ACL
reconstruction surgeries. Autografts feature tissues
donated from the patient’s own body, while autografts
use tissues from a cadaver.
The Sports Medicine team at Saint Francis Medical
Center invites coaches, athletic trainers, principals and
superintendents each year to attend the Fall Coaches
Clinic. Content focuses on topics relevant to today’s
coaches, athletes and scholastic sports programs,
including information designed to help keep athletes
Above: Jay Shroeder
safe and healthy.
Please call 573-331-3996 to receive an invitation
to next year’s Fall Coaches Clinic.
Above: James M. Edwards, MD