Rugby is a demanding high-intensity sport with a high risk of injury, combining the running and endurance of soccer with the contact and tackling of American football. Common injuries include concussions, jersey finger, muscle strains of the hamstrings or quadriceps, ACL or MCL tears, ankle sprains, shin splints, and shoulder joint injuries. Physical therapists can help rugby players prevent and manage sports-related injuries through a targeted exercise strength and conditioning program.

Hockey is a high-intensity collision sport that requires athletes to skate a narrow contact surface (blade of the skate) on a low friction surface (ice) while moving in all planes of motion. The intensity of the sport can lead to a variety of injuries, such as concussions, shoulder separations, wrist fractures, MCL sprains, high ankle sprains, or FAI or hip adductor muscle strains. Physical therapy can help hockey players recover after injury and help hockey players prepare for the hockey season and reduce the risk of injury through a personalize strength and conditioning program.

Basketball is a high-intensity sport, requiring running multi-directionally, shuffling the body laterally, jumping, and quick starts and stops. The intense physical demands of basketball heighten the risk of injury. Physical therapists work with basketball players to not only prepare them for a successful basketball season through a customized strength and conditioning program, but also address any in-season injuries and help athletes regain strength, mobility, balance, and function for a safe return to sport.

An ankle sprain is a common injury that occurs when the foot twists or turns beyond its normal range of movement, causing the ankle’s ligaments to overstretch or tear. Ankle sprains account for up to 40% of lower extremity sports injuries and 15% of all sports injuries in the United States. Physical therapy is the first line of treatment for ankle sprains, effectively restoring mobility, strength, and function in the injured ankle, preventing re-injury, and ensuring a safe return to sport through a targeted exercise and manual therapy rehabilitation program.

Pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports in the United States, played on a tennis-like court using a softball-sized, hard-plastic ball and a wooden racket to serve and volley the ball back and forth. While fairly easy to pick up, pickleball requires fast movements of the upper and lower body, sudden pivots and cuts, and side-to-side shuffling, which can contribute to injury. Physical therapy can help pickleball players not only recover from an on-court injury, but also prepare for a successful pickleball season through targeted strength and conditioning.

Lacrosse is a high-energy, full-body sport that combines quick sprints, agility, and coordination of the upper and lower extremities. Lacrosse injuries are more common in the lower extremities, particularly ankle sprains, ACL tears, shin splints, or hamstring or quadriceps muscle strains. Physical therapy can help lacrosse players not only address and recover from injuries during the lacrosse season, but also help prevent injury through a customized strength and conditioning program.

Ankle sprains are one of the most common sports injuries that occur when the foot twists beyond its normal range of movement, causing the ankle's ligaments to overstretch or tear. If you do not receive timely and effective treatment after your first ankle sprain, the risk of recurrent ankle sprains and chronic ankle instability is high. It’s essential to work with a physical therapist to address an ankle sprain and restore ankle joint biomechanics, strength, and balance safely before returning to sport or activity.

Ankle impingement can occur when either soft or bony tissues are compressed within the ankle joint at the extreme end of a motion, such as pointing the foot sharply downward. This condition commonly affects gymnasts, dancers, runners, and football, soccer, and volleyball players as these activities require either a repetitive kicking motion or repeated extremes of ankle motion in dorsiflexion or plantarflexion. Physical therapy can reduce ankle impingement pain, heal and strengthen the ankle complex, improve overall balance, and help athletes and dancers return to sport and dance safely.

Tennis is a popular, dynamic sport that requires significant speed, agility, endurance, coordination, and cardiovascular fitness of the tennis player. Due to the intensity and repetitive motions of tennis, tennis players can suffer chronic overuse injuries like tennis elbow and rotator cuff tendinitis and acute injuries like ankle sprains. Physical therapists can help tennis players prevent injury through a strength and conditioning program tailored to their needs and abilities and provide targeted treatment for specific injuries to help tennis players return to competition with restored strength and mobility.

Soccer is an incredibly popular sport with over 13 million Americans playing soccer, three million of whom are youth soccer players. Due to the intensity of soccer’s kicking, sprinting, fast changes in direction, and contact and the increase in year-round competition, both traumatic and overuse injuries can occur. Most soccer injuries occur in the lower extremities, particularly to the ankle, knee, and hamstrings. Physical therapists can help soccer players recover from injury safely through a comprehensive rehabilitation program.

Football is a high-contact sport with one of the highest sport injury rates. Common football injuries include concussions, ACL tears, ankle sprains, turf toe, shoulder dislocation, rotator cuff tears, and hamstring strains. Physical therapy provides effective treatment for football-related injuries, helping the athlete to safely recover and return to sport when fully healed. Physical therapists help athletes regain strength, function, and range of motion through a targeted therapeutic exercise and strengthening program while managing pain and minimizing the risk of future injury.

Volleyball is a dynamic sport that requires a high level of repetitive overhead motion and dynamic power and control, placing a great deal of stress on the shoulders, knees, and ankles. The most common volleyball-related injuries include ankle sprains, patellar tendinitis, ACL injuries, and rotator cuff tendinitis. A physical therapist can treat each of these injuries and help the athlete regain strength, range of motion, and mobility in the injured area for a safe return to sport. Physical therapists also help volleyball players prepare for a successful volleyball season and prevent injury through a comprehensive training program.

Check out our 8 tips to prevent cross-country injuries! Cross country is an outdoor endurance sport that involves running along a trail of natural terrain. The repetitive impact of running on irregular natural terrain can heighten the risk of injury in cross-country runners. Following a training regimen that incorporates cross-training and targeted strengthening plays a crucial role in preventing cross country injuries during the season. A physical therapist can not only effectively treat any injuries that occur, but also help cross country runners prepare for a successful season through a customized exercise program.