Prior to this session I received messages from parents on the app called Spond to book appointments for their children to see me to be assessed due to previous injury.
I had 8 athletes booked in for todays’ session, I was given a physio room located near the sports hall on the college campus which already had a physio bed inside.
The first athlete (U13’s) complained of having ankle pain for roughly 4 months with the pain ‘on and off’. His dad explained that they often use kinesiology tape (K-tape) for support. I started this appointment off by assessing the ankle, comparing the range of movement (ROM) to the other ankle. Noticing that the ROM in the left ankle (injured side) is less than the right, so I performed mobilisations up to a grade 3 due to no pain occurring in those stages lasting for roughly 1 minute. After these mobilisations the ROM seemed to have improved. I then applied K-tape on the lateral side of the left ankle, starting anteriorly and following the malleolus posteriorly and halfway up the side of the leg. I then added another piece of K-tape underneath the foot in the middle and brought the edges up either side of the ankle. I then advised some gastrocnemius stretches for warm up and cool down and advised to apply ice after training if there is pain.
The next athlete (U13’s) came in with an ankle injury that occurred 1 month ago, he explained that it had become swollen and stiff the day after the injury occurred. “It keeps flaring up every now and then after each training session and match” this is what the athlete explained. I asked the athlete to walk up and down the corridor as his parent commented on how he has been ‘limping’ lately, so I thought I’d have a look for myself. When assessing the athletes’ gait, I did notice a slight limp. Palpation on the gastrocnemius and Achilles to feel for any muscle tightness (which there wasn’t). I decided to use K-tape and apply it on the bottom of his foot (below the calcaneus) to ‘lift’ the ankle but still allow movement.
The next client (U13’s) came in complaining of knee pain pointing to his right knee below the knee cap. When explaining how it happened he said he took a ‘knock’ to the knee with a slight twist. Observing the knee is was slightly swollen in comparison to the other knee, ROM was all okay (flexion, extension, internal and external rotation- no pain occurred), he described the pain to be a 5 out of 10. I decided to place a piece of K-tape across the area where the ACL is (where the swelling is) to aid the swelling and tissue healing.
The next client (U13’s) had an Achilles injury which occurred 3 weeks ago with pain occurring at the attachment site on the calcaneus. Painful to palpate, ankle ROM all okay in comparison to the other. Palpation of the Achilles onto the Gastrocnemius and found no tenderness or muscle tightness. I applied K-tape across the injured site to give support and advised to apply heat and rest from training this week.
A client from U14’s group complained of groin pain, ongoing for roughly 2 weeks prior to this appointment. Pain being at a 3/10 when not moving however after training the pain becomes a 7 or 8 out of 10. His explanation of it feeling like it’s being overstretched. Palpating the groing area, his quadriceps and hip adductors were tight on his right leg (injured side) in comparison to the left. He didn’t feel comfortable for a massage as he said it felt ‘fine’. I advised him to use a hot water bottle before training to help ‘warm up’ the muscles, alongside a few stretches for before and after training/games.
The next client arrived (U16’s) and his parent explained that he has been complaining about his lower back feeling ‘tight’, the client then mentioned to me that he feels absolutely fine. I had a palpate of his lower back and cleared the joints above and below. He said that this appointment is pointless as he feels fine, I asked him if he wanted me to give him a quick massage on his lower back but he said he didn’t want one, so I gave him some stretches and advised if it plays up to rebook another appointment with me.
The next client came in with left knee pain, he stated that this happened roughly 2-3 months ago. His left knee was slightly swollen in comparison to the right knee. I checked the ROM, and all was okay however slight pain occurred during flexion and extension at the end ranges. He asked me if I could tape his knee using K-tape, I taped either side of the knee and then another piece across the ACL to help reduce the swelling.
The last client of the day has already been diagnosed with Osgood Schlatter’s. I have advised him to stop playing/ doing any form of activity as soon as the pain comes on as his parent mentions that he always seems to be limping and having to come off injured every match. I have advised to apply ice every night as it will help with the swelling and the pain. I applied K-tape in an X shape just below the kneecap for the support.
At the start of these appointments I felt a little nervous as it was my first day of placement, however as the appointments kept rolling smoothly, I became more and more relaxed. Next week I am aiming to not book so many people in in one day due to not being able to spend more time with my clients. Today felt a little rushed.