Campus Rec Athletic Training is comprised of a team of certified athletic trainers who collaborate with physicians to provide injury prevention, education, evaluation, rehabilitative services, and emergency care to the participants in Campus Rec Sport Club activities.
Our staff provides on-site athletic training coverage for select sport club matches and events. Our athletic trainers emphasize patient-centered care and are there to optimize your experience with Campus Recreation.
Injury Self-Care Tips
Explore common injuries below for early treatment and self-care.
A sprain is an injury to the ligaments in a joint; a strain is an injury to the muscle or tendons.
You may sprain (or more commonly referred to as a tweak) your ankle; this would be damage to the ankle ligaments. Ligaments are the tough band of tissue that hold your bones together; as well as, prevent excessive or unnatural movements in your joints.
You may strain (or more commonly referred to as a pull) your hamstring; this would be damage to the hamstring muscle. Despite the difference both injuries tend to cause similar pain and tenderness.
A sprained ankle is an injury that occurs when you twist, roll or turn your ankle in an awkward way. Sometimes this is referred to as “tweaking your ankle”. This can stretch the ligaments that help hold your ankle bones together. Ligaments help stabilize your joints, preventing extra movement beyond your normal range of motion. An ankle is sprained when the ligaments are forced beyond their normal range of motion, such as a twist or roll. Most ankle sprains involve the outside ligaments of your ankle but may involve other areas of the ankle.
What can you expect in the next 24-72 hours? Pain and swelling.
- How can I combat this? Ice for pain, elevate your ankle above your heart, and apply compression for the swelling.
- Exercises you can start as soon as tolerable: Ankle pumps in elevation, ABCs in elevation.
A knee sprain is an injury that occurs when you extend, twist or turn your knee in an awkward way. Sometimes this is referred to as “tweaking your knee”. This can stretch or tear the ligaments that help hold your two major knee bones together (femur and tibia). Ligaments help stabilize your joints, preventing extra movement beyond your normal range of motion. A knee is sprained when the ligaments are forced beyond their normal range of motion, such as a twist or awkward turn. Remember, ligaments are the thick bands of tissue that hold your bones together. Some commonly sprained ligaments in the knee are: MCL, ACL, LCL, and PCL.
What can you expect in the next 24-72 hours? Pain and swelling.
- How can I combat this? Ice for pain, elevate your leg above your heart, and apply compression for the swelling.
- In the instance of a knee sprain, you will want to temporarily immobilize your knee. By doing this you are encouraging ligamentous healing and protecting from further injury.
- The athletic trainer may suggest that you seek a secondary orthopedic evaluation and imaging if appropriate.
- Exercises you can start as soon as tolerable: short arc quads and long seated hip flexion.
Finger sprains are very common and relatively easy to manage with the right guidance. They are more commonly referred to as “jamming your finger”. This typically occurs when a finger is hit by a projectile (like a football) or when a finger is “jammed” against an object (like an opponent or the ground). Pain will generally occur in the finger joint, but can radiate throughout the finger. Remember, ligaments are the thick bands of tissue that hold your bones together; ligaments stop excessive or unnatural movements in your joint.
What can you expect in the next 24-72 hours? Pain and swelling.
- How can I combat this? Ice for pain and apply compression for the swelling.
- Exercises you can start as soon as tolerable: towel scrunches, pinches, and finger range of motion.
- The athletic trainer may suggest that you seek out an x-ray if applicable.
Wrist sprains are the most common type of injury to the wrist. They may be less common overall, but typically occur when a person falls, attempts to catch themselves, and forces the wrist into an unnatural range of motion. This can happen if the wrist is forcefully bent all the way back or all the way forward. In these cases, you would cause stretching or tearing to your wrist ligaments. Remember, ligaments are the thick bands of tissue that hold your bones together and prevent excessive movements in your joint. Pain will mostly be focused in the wrist and especially painful with movement of the wrist.
What can you expect in the next 24-72 hours? Pain and swelling.
- How can I combat this? Ice for pain and apply compression for the swelling.
- Exercises you can start as soon as tolerable: wrist range of motion and towel rolls.
- The athletic trainer may suggest that you seek out an x-ray if applicable.
Hamstrings are the group of 3 muscles that are located in the back of your upper thigh. These muscles are in charge of flexing your knee or curling your heel to your glutes.
Hamstring strains can have a wide range of severity. Strains are often referred to as “pulls” (ex. I pulled my hamstring). This can occur in a variety of ways: outstretching to reach for a soccer ball causing an over stretch in your hamstring, maybe you’re sprinting and feel a tight, painful “pull” in your hamstring. Muscle can strain due to over stretching or overloading the muscle. Overloading a muscle can occur when you put so much force into a muscle that it cannot take the stress any longer. Either mechanism still causes pain, tenderness, and possible swelling or bruising. Hamstring strains can be some of the more challenging injuries to manage and recover from: it’s highly recommended you seek help from an athletic trainer, physical therapist, or off-campus orthopedic specialist.
What can you expect in the next 24-72 hours? Pain, tightness, possible bruising.
- How can I combat this? Ice for pain and apply compression for the swelling and bruising.
- Exercises you can start as soon as tolerable: heel slides, hip extension, and slow hamstring curls.
The four large muscles located in your upper thigh combine to make up your quads. These muscles are in charge of extending your knee, or kicking your lower leg forward.
Quad strains can have a wide range of severity. Strains are often referred to as “pulls” (ex. I pulled my quad). Remember, you strain muscles and sprain ligaments. This can occur in a variety of ways: sprinting and feel a tight, painful “pull” in your quad, kicking a ball, or missing a kick and hitting the ground. Muscle can strain due to over stretching or overloading the muscle. Overloading a muscle can occur when you put so much force into a muscle that it cannot take the stress any longer. Either mechanism still causes pain, tenderness, and possible swelling or bruising.
What can you expect in the next 24-72 hours? Pain, tightness, possible bruising.
- How can I combat this? Ice for pain and apply compression for the swelling and bruising.
- Exercises you can start as soon as tolerable: short arc quads, straight leg raises, and quarter squats.
The small group of muscles that are located in the front of your hip crease are referred to as the hip flexors. The hip flexor is in charge of hip flexion, or the action of bringing your knee to your chest.
Hip flexor strains can be painful, but with the right help they are very manageable. Remember, strains are often referred to as “pulls” (ex. I pulled my hip flexor). This usually stems from any sudden movement such as: kicking, sprinting, or a quick change of direction. Muscle can strain due to over stretching or overloading the muscle. Overloading a muscle can occur when you put so much force into a muscle that it cannot take the stress any longer. Either mechanism still causes pain, tenderness, and possible swelling or bruising. Hip flexor strains are among the more challenging injuries to manage and recover from: it’s highly recommended you seek help from an athletic trainer, physical therapist, or off-campus orthopedic specialist.
What can you expect in the next 24-72 hours? Pain, tightness, possible bruising.
- How can I combat this? Ice for pain
- Exercises you can start as soon as tolerable: straight leg raises, quarter squats, and standing marches.
The shoulder is an integral part of athletic movement and is involved in many actions. The anatomy of the shoulder is unique which lends to many different ways it can be injured. Common shoulder injuries occur when, you fall on your shoulder, fall with an outstretched arm, or extend your shoulder past its normal range of motion. Any of these scenarios can cause pain in and around the shoulder. Because of its complexity, you should seek an athletic trainer, physical therapist, or any off-campus resource for further evaluation.
What can you expect in the next 24-72 hours? Pain and stiffness
- How can I combat this? Ice for pain, light range of motion for stiffness
- Exercises you can start as soon as tolerable: Isometric rotations and pendulums.
Concussions can be very manageable injuries with the proper guidance of a health care provider.
What can you expect in the next 24-72 hours?
- Headache
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Balance problems
- Difficulty concentrating
- Confusion
- Drowsiness
- Fogginess
NOTE: these are just a handful of symptoms that may be present with a concussion. Please seek medical care to be evaluated further.
RED FLAG SYMPTOMS
Changes in level of consciousness, increases in personality changes, headache getting progressively worse, vomiting, visual disturbances, numbness/weakness in any part of your body, blood or fluid leaking from ears or nose.
Please review concussion information for home for further details on red flags to watch for. If you have any doubt, seek medical attention immediately.
How can I combat these symptoms?
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) for headache.
Any NSAID such as Ibuprofen (Advil) or naproxen (Aleve) are NOT recommended post concussive symptoms.
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Sport participation is prohibited until one has completed a return-to-play under the guidance of a physician and Athletic Trainer.
SPORT CLUBS & INTRAMURAL SPORTS PARTICIPATION POLICY FOLLOWING CONCUSSION
Concussion evaluation and management has a stepwise progress that MUST be followed:
- Participant is evaluated by athletic trainer for possible concussion. If no athletic trainer is available, please seek an appointment with University Health Services
- Once the athletic trainer has reviewed your symptoms, they will refer you to a University Health Services (UHS) clinician for further evaluation.
- After a physician has evaluated you and has confirmed the diagnosis, you will be able to complete a return to play with an athletic trainer. This return to play CON NOT take place until one is completely symptom free.
- The athletic trainer will progress you through a 5-day return to play protocol.
- Nearing the end of your return to play you will need a follow up with a UHS physician.
- From here you have the possibility of clearing protocol and returning to your sport!
Resources: Patients are suggested to seek outside medical evaluation if they have not or cannot see an athletic trainer via campus recreation or a UHS Physician
University Health Services (UHS) – for appointment with physician call (850) 644-4567.
The achilles tendon is the largest tendon in your body and connects your calf to your heel bone. This tendon is used anytime you activate your calf muscle such in walking, running, or jumping.
If you have tender pain and stiffness in your achilles tendon during or after activity, you may be experiencing achilles tendonitis. Tendonitis is just inflammation in the tendon caused by repetitive use or overuse. In the case of achilles tendonitis, it may stem from walking, running, or jumping too much- causing stress on the achilles. This injury may be considered to be a chronic injury (chronic injury is any injury that happens slowly over time; pain can persist for days, weeks, or even months).
What can you expect? Pain and stiffness.
- How can I combat this? oral pain relivers (anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen or naproxen) or topical pain relievers (Tiger Balm, Icey-Hot, Bio Freeze)
- Exercises you can start as soon as tolerable: slow calf raises, towel scrunches, stretches.
- Treatments that should be used: foam rolling, massage, calf stretching, and soleus stretching.
NOTE: proper warm up before athletic activities can combat some pain during and after exercise.
Anterior knee pain is pain in the front of your knee. You may be experiencing pain in your patella, patellar tendon, or anywhere in the front of your knee.
If you have tender pain and stiffness in the front of your knee during or after activity, you may be experiencing anterior knee pain. This pain usually stems from inflammation caused by repetitive use or overuse. In the case of anterior knee pain, it may stem from walking, running, or jumping too much causing stress on the front of the knee. This injury may be considered to be a chronic injury. A chronic injury is any injury that happens slowly over time; pain can persist for days, weeks, or even months. Because of its complexity, you should seek an athletic trainer, physical therapist, or any off-campus resource for further evaluation.
What can you expect? Pain and stiffness.
- How can I combat this? oral pain relivers (anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen or naproxen) or topical pain relievers (Tiger Balm, Icey-Hot, Bio Freeze)
- Exercises you can start as soon as tolerable: Step downs, short arc quads, and mini wall squats.
- Treatments that should be used: foam rolling quads, massage of the patellar tendon and quads, quad stretching, and hip flexor stretching. Pictures showing these treatments.
NOTE: proper warm up before athletic activities can combat some pain during and after exercise.
Shin splints refer to pain along the shin bone (tibia). The tibia is the large bone in the front of your lower leg. Shin splints are common in runners and recreational athletes.
This type of pain can arise from a change in workout regime, increasing workout intensity, trying a new sport, or simply overworking yourself. The increase in activity overworks your lower leg muscles and tendons, causing pain.
What can you expect? Pain and stiffness.
- How can I combat this? oral pain relivers (anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen or naproxen) or topical pain relievers (Tiger Balm, Icey-Hot, Bio Freeze)
- Exercises you can start as soon as tolerable: angled tibial raises, angled heel raises, slow seated heel raises.
- Treatments that should be used: foam rolling, massage, soleus stretching, and calf stretching.
NOTE: proper warm up before athletic activities can combat some pain during and after exercise.
