Sports Medicine & Concussion Rehabilitation

Overview

Our team of rehabilitation therapists is involved in our local sports communities. As residents of the communities that we serve, we are aware of the many leagues and venues available to athletes of all skills, ages, and genders. We know the pressure that is often placed on athletes and can identify over-training, as well as poor conditioning. Our experts provide education to coaches, athletic directors and trainers – as well as youth athletes and their parents – in a variety of hot topics, such as concussion prevention and rehabilitation, prevention of ACL injuries, rotator cuff injury prevention, and care of the athletic foot and ankle.

We understand that athletes are “on the go” and are eager to return to their sport or training. That is why we never double-book appointments, which allows for on-time appointments and gives our therapists more one-on-one time with their patients.

Sports Medicine: As athletes mature, sports-related injuries affect the body in different ways. Our physical therapists work with each athlete to create an individualized program to address their body’s specific growth and development needs as they rehabilitate their injuries. We use evidence-based approaches to bring our athletes – of all ages and genders – to recovery and return-to-play and design programs that include methods for prevention of re-injury.

Our expert Orthopedic and sports medicine care includes, but is not limited to:

• Concussion
• Fractures
• Joint dislocations
• Sprains and strains
• Muscle, tendon, and ligament tears and repairs
• Lower leg, ankle, and foot rehabilitation
• Knee rehabilitation
• Hamstring, quadriceps, and groin rehabilitation
• Shoulder rehabilitation
• Elbow, wrist, and Hand Rehabilitation
• Spine and Back Rehabilitation

Concussion Rehabilitation: Saint Clare’s offers a formal concussion and return-to-play program. The physical therapy evaluation involves thorough history review, use of symptom scales, musculoskeletal evaluation, neurological evaluation including neurocognitive tests, and vestibular tests. Our therapists work closely with coaches, athletic trainers and physicians to prepare the athlete for return-to-play.

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury, caused by mechanical forces, to the head, face, or neck. These direct blows typically result in the rapid onset of short-term impairment of neurological functions, such as vison, memory and concentration, balance, and sensitivity to light. Most short term impairments resolve spontaneously, within 7-10 days. If they do not, this is considered Post- Concussion Syndrome (PCS).

As of 2014, all 50 states have adopted sports concussion laws, which recognize three main components of concussion management: education, removal from play, and return-to-play clearance. Recognition of post-concussion syndrome (PCS) is an important part of the healing process. Three or more of the following symptoms which continue beyond the normal recovery time of 7-10 days after head injury strongly suggest PCS: headaches, dizziness, fatigue, irritability, insomnia, decreased concentration, poor memory retention.

To learn more about our sports medicine/concussion outreach and education programs, please contact our Operations Manager Jennifer Neglia at 973-625-6561.