Football

Most Common Injuries Torn meniscus Heat sickness Concussion Football demands both endurance and strength

Definition Torn Meniscus: each of your knees has two menisci pieces of cartilage that act like a cushion between shinbone and thighbone. Causes pain, swelling, stiffness and feel a block in knee motion. Another word for meniscus-cartilage. Other names: Cartilage tear

Method Of Injury MOI: In the back of part of the knee, the meniscus is caught between the two bones and tears when the joint suddenly straightens. Specific MOI in Football: Being tackled

Signs and Symptoms What the athlete might feel/describe- A popping sensation Swelling or stiffness Pain, especially twisting/ rotating your knee Difficulty straightening your knee fully Feeling your knee is locked in place

Signs and Symptoms What an AT might see- swelling, tenderness and fluid inside the knee joint What the AT might palpate for- If your knee is not locked, the doctor will check for clicks, snaps, motion and "catches" within the joint.

Questions It can cause arthritis by eliminating the amount of cartilage which acts as a shock absorber, and it can cause poor posture because the support and stability of the knee is due in part to the meniscus. Without surgery, meniscus tears often become larger. Fragments of the meniscus can injure the knee cartilage, which can result in pain and a higher risk of developing arthritis.  Occurs mostly in women because they tend to have an imbalance in the strength ratio between with quadriceps muscles and their hamstring muscles. A female athlete is more likely to use their quads to slow down from a sprint, causing instability in the knee. It affects younger athletes more prevalently because those tears are from injury more than age and are usually worse and need more attention.

Assessment McMurray’s test Apley’s Test Thessaly’s Test

Diagnosis Range of motion tests X-ray MRI Arthroscopy

Treatment Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate Medicine (RICE) Physical Therapy and possibly surgery A support system throughout the PT and surgery

Strength and Conditioning Program Early Stage Static Quadriceps Contractions: Simply contract the quad muscles, hold for count of 10 and relax. Repeat 10 to 20 times. Static Hamstring Hold: Lie on your stomach, knee bent at 45 degrees. Repeat 10 to 20 times.

Mid Stage Calf Raises: Raise up and down toes on the edge of a step. 3 sets of 20 repetitions. Leg Curl: Perform with either ankle weights, a resistance band. 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

Hip adductors/ abductor exercises Late Stage Squats Hip adductors/ abductor exercises

Prevention Warm up and stretch before exercising Use proper gear Lace footwear properly Learn proper techniques

Interesting Information Different locations of tears: Posterior (back) horn medial meniscus tear radial tear of medial meniscus horizontal medial meniscus tear complex medial meniscal tear meniscal root tear

Citations Mayo Clinic Staff. (2017). Torn meniscus. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/torn-meniscus/symptoms- causes/dxc-20262356 Harvard University. (September, 2012). Torn meniscus. Retrieved from http://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/torn-meniscus- Millstein, Eric, S. (2016). Dangers of playing through meniscus tears. Retrieved from http://millsteinorthopedics.com/dangers-of- playing-through-meniscus-tears/ Virtual Sports Injury Clinic. (2017). Lateral meniscus tear. Retrieved from http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/sport-injuries/knee- pain/lateral-cartilage-tear Osborne, Maria. (2012). Why do females injure their knees four to six times more than men…and what can you do about it?. Retrieved from http://www.ucdenver.edu/academics/colleges/medicalschool/departments/Orthopaedics/clinicalservices/sportsmed/ Doc uments/WISH_SPORTSMED_Female%20Knee%20Injuries%20and%20ACL.pdf The Nemours Foundation. (2017). Meniscus tears. Retrieved from http://kidshealth.org/en/teens/meniscus-tear.html#