The world of athletics spans a vast array of sports and levels of competition. It is tough to compare a Washington Redskin football player to a 20-handicap weekend golfer, but in our minds all athletes deserve to participate free from pain.
Most common injuries related to sports are overuse injuries. Repetitive movements cause cumulative wear and tear on the body leaving muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints prone to injury. Some of these injuries are immediately painful, while others tend to gradually worsen over time. Three of the five most common reasons for athletes to seek medical attention are directly related to the spine:

1. Muscle Pull (Strain)
2. Low Back Pain
3. Shoulder Impingement
4. Neck Pain
5. Tennis Elbow

We have used our experience in dealing with athletes to define a set of basic treatment principles for sport-related neck and back pain: Halt painful inflammation associated with injury, maintain the maximum pain-free activity level, restore normal spinal joint motion and soft tissue flexibility while improving supportive muscular control.

• Ice it. Inflammation arises from injury and can actually cause additional injury. The time-honored principle of putting ice on an injured muscle actually makes sense. Ice decreases inflammation and swelling within the first 48 hours. By limiting swelling and decreasing inflammation, one can limit pain and further injury. Heat should be reserved for treatment beyond the first 48 hours as a means of increasing healing blood flow to damaged areas. However, for more chronic problems heat may be appropriate as the initial intervention. Ultimately, your choice of ice or heat will depend upon which treatment improves your symptoms most.
• If it hurts don’t do it. Painful activity should be avoided. Pain is Mother Nature’s way of telling us to stop what we are doing. We encourage our athletes to maintain their maximum pain-free level of activity. Continued activity within reason, prevents weakening of other muscle groups. Bedrest and inactivity actually hinder recovery and may predispose to recurrence of injury.
• Take medications that work. Anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen (Motrin) and aspirin not only decrease inflammation, but also reduce pain. They are often prescribed as a primary treatment for injuries. Tylenol is an effective pain medication, but is not an anti-inflammatory medicine. In some cases of chronic pain or arthritis, a dose of anti-inflammatory prior to participation in a sporting activity may help limit post-exercise discomfort.
• Get moving. The key to returning to normal, pain-free activity is rapidly restoring normal joint motion. Do not wait for the pain to stop before starting gentle stretching and range of motion exercises. Gradually add in whole-body and focused muscular strengthening. Aerobic conditioning is crucial to aid in endorphin release and soft-tissue flexibility. Complete return to activity requires restored range of motion, muscular strength, muscle coordination, and aerobic conditioning. Physical therapists can often help accomplish these goals.