Game On: From Injury to Action!
Theresa was an avid high school soccer player who dreamed of playing at the college level. She trained hard and played even harder, but one misstep during a match changed everything. As she lunged for the ball, she felt a sharp pain in her knee and crumpled to the ground. The diagnosis was disheartening: she had torn her ACL.
Theresa opted to have ACL repair surgery so she could continue to play soccer. However, due to an experience with an ankle sprain a year earlier, she knew she needed to undergo comprehensive post-surgical rehabilitation to ensure she had the best possible outcomes. That’s where Kleinpeter Physical Therapy came in.
Our therapists have extensive experience with sports injuries. We can identify and treat several common sports injuries and guide you through rehabilitation for surgeries such as ACL or rotator cuff repairs. No matter the reason for your visit, we conduct whole-body assessments to identify all the factors that may impact recovery and design our programs tailored to the individual.
Call us today to learn more about our programs and schedule an appointment with one of our physical therapists!
Treating A Sports Injury with Physical Therapy Alone
Severe sports injuries–like an ACL tear–typically require medical intervention and rehabilitation with a physical therapist. However, even minor sports injuries should be treated with physical therapy, as Theresa herself learned a year earlier when she suffered another ligament injury: an ankle sprain.
Unlike an ACL tear, ankle sprains rarely require surgery. However, they do require proper care to ensure a quick recovery and reduce the risk of future injuries.
Initial Steps
Initially, Theresa’s therapy focused on reducing her pain, eliminating her swelling, and restoring her mobility. This involved:
M.I.C.E (Move, Ice, Compression, Elevation):
- This simple method is crucial in the early stages of an ankle sprain. Theresa learned to keep moving her ankle, apply ice to reduce pain, and use compression with elevation to reduce the swelling.
Building Strength and Stability
- Once the swelling reduced, Theresa’s therapy shifted gears towards rebuilding strength and stability. This phase included:
Strengthening Exercises
- Theresa worked on exercises to strengthen the muscles around her ankle. These included toe raises and resistance band exercises.
Balance Training
- To regain stability, Theresa practiced balancing exercises. This was crucial to prevent future sprains.
Regaining Functionality
- The final phase of Theresa’s therapy centered on returning to her pre-injury level and back on the field. This involved:
Functional Training
- Theresa gradually returned to activities that mimicked soccer movements.
Sport-Specific Drills
- As she regained strength, we introduced sport-specific exercises to prepare her for returning to soccer.
Through her recovery, Theresa also learned how to perform sport-specific warm-ups and the importance of sleep and regular conditioning to prevent injuries.
What About Post-Surgical Rehabilitation?
The process Theresa experienced after her ankle sprain is not completely dissimilar to what she experienced after her ACL surgery. The most significant difference is that full rehabilitation takes much longer after surgery–sometimes up to a year or more. It also required much more work on Theresa’s part than her ankle rehabilitation.
Initial Steps
In the first few weeks after Theresa’s surgery, we focused on helping her manage pain and reduce swelling. We also helped her mobilize her knee as much as possible–early movement helps prevent scar tissue that can cause long-term pain and restriction.
Restoring Mobility and Strength
As Theresa improved, we guided her through targeted exercises to restore her knee’s range of motion and build strength in the surrounding muscles. We led her through a tailored, multi-week program that gradually increased the intensity of her exercises as she improved.
Regaining Functionality
Our final step in the post-surgical rehabilitation process was helping Theresa return to her favorite activities, including soccer. We worked with her to improve her balance and gait and performed similar functional training and sports-specific drills as we did after her ankle sprain to help get her back in the game.
Embrace The Recovery Blueprint and Get Back in Action!
Theresa’s story reminds us of the importance of addressing sports injuries with guidance from our team at Kleinpeter Physical Therapy. Whether you’ve suffered a minor sports injury or need surgery, schedule an appointment to learn how we can help!
Say Goodbye to Pain – Come Back to PT!
Don’t let your progress stall—come back to Kleinpeter Physical Therapy and keep moving forward on your journey to recovery.
Schedule your next appointment today and let’s reach those goals together!
Healthy Recipe:
Oatmeal Pancakes With Cinnamon Apples
- 1 1⁄2 cups buttermilk
- 3⁄4 cup instant rolled oats
- 3⁄4 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 Tbsp milk
- 1 Tbsp melted butter
- 1 1⁄2 tsp baking powder
- 1⁄2 tsp baking soda
- Pinch of cinnamon (plus 1⁄8 tsp for the apples)
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
- 1⁄2 cup apple juice
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- Butter or cooking spray
In a large mixing bowl, combine the buttermilk, oats, flour, milk, butter, baking powder, baking soda, pinch of cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir to gently combine, then set aside to rest for a few minutes. Combine the apple, apple juice, brown sugar, and remaining 1⁄8 teaspoon cinnamon in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook until the apple has softened and the liquid has thickened. Preheat the oven to 200°F. Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Adding a bit of butter/cooking spray before each round, scoop 1⁄4-cup portions of batter into the skillet and use a spatula to spread into thin, even circles. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and cook for another 2 minutes. Keep pancakes warm in the oven while you finish cooking. Serve topped with the warm apples.
4 Simple Strategies for Stress-Free Leaf Cleanup
For many of us, autumn is one of the most beautiful times of the year. There’s nothing like the cool refreshing air and breathtaking fall foliage. However, with the changing of the seasons comes a chore that we all dread– raking leaves.
Thankfully, there are a few easy ways to make raking the leaves more enjoyable. If you need help with your follow through on this chore, keep reading!
1. If you can, rake downhill
Raking leaves is hard enough without having to go against gravity. Make this process a little easier on yourself by raking downhill.
2. Pull the leaves towards you as you rake
This technique helps keep stress off your back and prevents injury. For extra preventative measures, tighten your abdominal muscles as you move.
3. Divide your lawn into sections
If you’re dealing with a huge lawn, don’t overdo it by trying to tackle all the space in one day. Instead, divide your lawn into smaller, more manageable sections and spread the work out over a couple days.
4. Wear the proper clothes
To prevent blisters or bug bites, it’s important to wear long sleeves and long pants while raking. It’s also a good idea to invest in a pair of strong gloves to protect your hands while you work.
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Patient Success Story
The whole staff is amazing! Over the whole 5 weeks, Amanda and McKenzie made this experience great by helping me meet my goals. Thank you for pushing me to keep going – even with my hard exercises!”
-Cinderella
Staff Spotlight:
James M. LeBlanc, PT, DPT, OCS
I chose to pursue a career in physical therapy, hoping to have the opportunity to carry out my passion for helping others. Daily, I see that hope become a reality as the patient’s quality of life is restored. I truly feel blessed to have had the opportunity to receive a high level of education that has provided me with the knowledge and clinical skills to effectively treat any person who walks through our clinic doors with the highest level of patient care. It is my goal that every patient leaves these doors with their concerns heard, their deficits restored, and their goals achieved.
Family & Hobbies: James and his wife, Kristine, have 2 daughters, Peyton and Natalie. In addition to being busy being a girl dad, James’ hobbies include spending time on the lake, water and snow skiing, playing guitar, playing basketball, learning to play golf, and attending LSU sporting events.
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Our purpose at Kleinpeter Physical Therapy is to leave a greater impact on the community around us. In order to achieve our goal we want to change as many lives as possible as we become a beacon of positivity in our community.
