Keith J. Cronin, DPT, CSCS

Young volleyball players are prone to lower back pain and injuries.  A physical therapist lists the warning signs of a potentially serious back problem and offers tips for keeping players on the court and back-pain free. 

Swelling is common after many types of sports injuries, and is actually one of the ways the body protects an injured area against further damage in the immediate aftermath of an injury. The combination of restricted motion, pain, and generally ill feeling will likely take an athlete off the playing field, and, sometimes, on to a physical therapist's treatment table.

There are significant differences between post-surgical and non surgical rehabilitation after a sports injury.

Following a sports injury, athletes, parents, and coaches usually look to the medical professionals involved in an athlete's care to decide when an athlete can return to play, and how much residual pain is acceptable. Here's how a physical therapist evaluates pain over the course of an athlete's treatment and recovery.

Part of the reason athletes often think of PT as standing for "pain and torture" is because physical therapists employ a technique called "pressure to pain" to help them figure out how healing is progressing.  

The three most important things a parent should know about an MRI when they talk to a physical therapist are not to be afraid to ask questions, not to dwell on the risk of surgery, and to know that the PT treats the patient, not the MRI.

Body symmetry is important because poor balance of such things as muscle tightness, stretch, bone length, pelvic rotation, and scapular positioning increases risk of injury and can hurt performance. 

Finding the optimal balance between mobility and stability is crucial during the rehabilitation process.   Restoring normal joint mobility and stability before an athlete returns to play is important for performance and in reducing the risk of future injury.