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You are here: Home / Injuries / Ligament/Tendon Injuries & Injection Techniques (PART 1)

Ligament/Tendon Injuries & Injection Techniques (PART 1)

November 12, 2013 by John

Ligament InjuriesLigament Injuries

People usually seek out my services for chronic symptoms after trying other treatment approaches, often with limited success. For many of these clients with chronic symptoms I began to see a reoccurring pattern: muscle weakness/pain, poor joint control/stability, poor proprioception (balance, coordination, “muscle awareness” ) as well as muscle tightness and/or excessive joint mobility. Coincidentally, I have also experienced similar deficits with my own injury history. Through my research, experience and observation I’ve concluded that injuries to ligaments often produce multiple, functional deficits and symptoms, and if left untreated can lead to chronic pain, disability and poor athletic performance.

Anatomy of a Ligament

Basic anatomy teaches that ligaments are tough, dense fibrous structures that bind bones together, yet allow for joint translation. When ligaments are injured – stretched primarily, they do not return to their original length – they lose their structural integrity. Since they are so dense, blood supply necessary for healing isn’t always adequate. This means a joint that was once stable and mobile now has excessive movement and this excessive movement leads to multiple symptoms.

To understand this in simple terms think of any moving, mechanical component like hinges on a door or the steering mechanism in your car. Proper functioning of these components is dependant on exact fitting tolerances that allow good mobility between the pieces (joint). If there is excessive joint movement (poor fitting tolerances) the forces acting on the joint will not be properly dissipated or transferred, instead the joint will eventually break down from excessive movement between the parts. In other words the door will no longer open or shut properly and your car won’t travel in a straight line.

Unlike a car your body has a complex communication network in your nervous system. With the injured ligaments and excessive joint forces your nervous system responds by sending pain signals from the injured ligaments and joint stresses, triggering muscle tightness which can be a compensatory response for the lack of joint integrity. The most significant issue I see is muscle function is inhibited (arthrokinematic inhibition) leading to weakness, atrophy and poor joint control. This process unfortuantely reinforces the vicious cycle of continued ligament stress and joint degeneration. This makes sense from a practical standpoint however. It would not be safe for you to drive your car fast or on a twisting road if your steering mechanism was damaged and loose. The body shuts down muscle function as a way of preserving and protecting itself from future injury by limiting how much force your muscles can generate. This is why ligament injuries are so devastating to athletes who require maximal exertion, joint control and endurance.

Filed Under: Injuries

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Recent Comments

  • msondesigns on Sports injury rehab is the main focus of my work with athletes. Sports injuries can be complex with multiple factors. I review their training program and exercise routine, I look at how running shoes fit, where their knee tracks while riding a bike and how lower body rotation contributes to efficient throwing motion w/baseball players. I also use simple video analysis tools to provide visual feed back. With athletes I use my whole tool box: manual therapy, corrective exercise, stretching/mobility, strength training and movement education. Once they are out of pain I help them perform their best by monitoring rehab progress and return to sport training.
  • msondesigns on On-line Personal Training
  • Guest on Movement education is the process of self reflection, exploring movement, body awareness and sensation. Injuries, cognitive/physical habits and poor movement skill can negatively impact movement efficiency contributing to patterns of pain and inhibit sport performance. Linking thought, feeling and movement integrates the whole person in the rehab/training process.
  • Guest on On-line Personal Training
  • Guest on Traditional sports injury rehab looks at symptoms and tissue pathology without addressing the unique movement and loading demands sports place on the human body. Successful rehab means addressing multiple factors that potentially created the injury – biomechanics, recovery, training loads, movement skill. John specializes in the treatment of sports injuries whether it is a cyclist w/back pain or a baseball player with shoulder pain John’s approach integrates video analysis with manual therapy, movement awareness and therapeutic exercise.
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