Services | Orthopedics and Pain Medicine Physician located in Edison, Clifton, Hazlet, Jersey City and West Orange, NJ | Garden State Pain & Orthopedics

What are the most common sports injuries?

1. Sprains and Strains - Sprains occur when ligaments—the tough bands of tissue connecting bones at joints—are stretched or torn. Commonly affected areas include the ankles, knees, and wrists. Strains involve the stretching or tearing of muscles or tendons. These injuries often occur in the lower back, hamstrings, and shoulders.

2. Rotator Cuff Injuries - The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that stabilize the shoulder. Injuries often occur due to repetitive overhead motions, such as in baseball, swimming, or tennis. Injuries can also occure from acute trauma, like a fall on an outstretched arm, can also cause rotator cuff tears.

3. ACL Injuries - The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) is crucial for knee stability. Injuries typically occur during sports that involve sudden stops, jumps, or changes in direction, such as soccer, basketball, and skiing.Non-contact injuries are most common, often happening when an athlete lands awkwardly or quickly pivots.

4. Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis) - Overuse of the elbow, especially through repetitive wrist and arm motions, leads to inflammation of the tendons that attach to the lateral epicondyle of the elbow. This is common in tennis players, but can also affect people in occupations involving repetitive arm use, such as carpenters or painters.

5. Shin Splints (Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome) - Shin splints occur due to excessive force on the shinbone (tibia) and the connective tissues around it. This is common among runners, dancers, and military recruits, shin splints can result from overtraining, improper footwear, or running on hard surfaces.

• Muscle strains 
• Other Knee injuries
  • MCL, Meniscus Tears
• Shoulder injuries
• Ankle sprain
• Lower back pain
• Shin splints
• Achilles tendinitis
  • Achillies Tears
• Dislocations and fractures

How are sports injuries diagnosed?

The doctors at Garden State Pain & Orthopedics have a full range of advanced diagnostic technologies available in-house, so they can accurately diagnose injuries and the cause of pain. But when it comes to sports injuries, they frequently perform a diagnostic ultrasound.

Diagnostic ultrasound evaluation is the first choice for musculoskeletal injuries because it produces detailed images and uses sound waves, so you’re not exposed to radiation. It also shows areas of inflammation and bone erosion, which aren’t visible using X-rays.

How are sports injuries treated?

After you sustain a sports injury, the goal is to prevent further damage to the area, reduce inflammation, and relieve pain. Initially, you may use rest, ice, compression, and elevation of the affected area to reduce inflammation and swelling. Immobilization is sometimes needed to prevent further damage while the injury heals.

Two key elements of treatment for sports injuries are:

Peripheral joint injections

When you have pain in a peripheral joint -- the hip, shoulder, elbow, wrist, foot, or ankle -- joint injections can be used to diagnose the precise source of your pain, then to provide pain relief. Your doctor at Garden State Pain & Orthopedics injects steroid medication using ultrasound to guide precise placement of the needle. Steroids reduce inflammation and stop pain for several weeks to months.

Physical therapy

Physical therapy, including a comprehensive rehabilitation program, is a vital component of treatment for sports injuries. It helps the injured area regain normal strength and function, and reconditions your body so you can safely return to your athletic activities.

Sports Injury Doctors in Clifton, West Orange, Edison, Jersey City and Hazlet, New Jersey 

Garden State Pain and Orthopedics is a group of Orthopedic and Pain Management Physicians located in Clifton, Edison, Hazlet, West Orange, and Jersey City who have provided the highest quality healthcare since 1994. Garden State Pain & Orthopedics is on the cutting edge of technology in pain medicine with expertise across diverse pain conditions and treatment modalities, including interventional pain techniques, minimally-invasive surgeries, medical management, physical therapy, rehabilitation, and behavioral therapy. You can schedule an appointment with their pain doctors by selecting the “Book Now” button. 

Locations:

Clifton

Address: 1117 Route 46 East, Suite 301, Clifton, NJ 07013

Phone: 973-777-5444

Edison

Address: 25 South Main Street, Suite 12, Edison, NJ 08837

Phone: 732-376-0330

Jersey City

Address: 631 Grand Street, Suite 2-100, Jersey City, NJ 07304

Phone: 973-777-5444

West Orange

Address: 443 Northfield Ave West Orange, NJ 07052

Phone: 732-376-0330

Hazlet

Address: 226 Middle Road, Suite 4, Hazlet, NJ 07730 

Phone: 732-376-0330