Upper
A baseball outfielder dives for a ball and lands awkwardly on an outstretched arm. They immediately feel shoulder pain and can’t lift their arm above shoulder height. The shoulder looks “dropped,” and the athlete is cradling it.
AC Sprain
A football player is hit directly over the elbow. There is swelling and discoloration to the joint.
Contusion/Bursitis
A student trips and lands directly on their shoulder. The shoulder looks slightly lower than the other.
Clavicle Fracture
After diving for a volleyball, a player lands hard on their hip. The outer hip is tender and bruised, and the athlete struggles to lift their leg. There is no deformity but significant pain at the iliac crest.
Hip pointers
An athlete pushes off and describes that they feel like someone shot them in the back of the leg. You notice an indention above the heel and the athlete cannot move.
Achilles Tendon Rupture
A high school pitcher develops pain along the medial elbow that worsens during throwing. There’s tenderness over the inner elbow and mild swelling. The athlete reports a feeling of instability.
Medial Epicondylitis
A gymnast falls off the high bar onto an outstretched arm and the athlete reports substantial pain. There is a deformity in the elbow, the athlete is unable to move their arm.
Elbow Dislocation
A runner develops pain along the inner lower leg after increasing training intensity. The athlete has tight calf muscles, worn-out running shoes, and has recently returned to running after a long break. The pain is associated with running and makes it difficult to continue training.
Shin Splints
A 13-year-old basketball player complains of pain over the lateral knee and tightness of their upper leg, there is a snapping sensation.
IT Band Syndrome
A runner reports pain on their lower leg. The pain is worsens during activity and at night. Palpation of the revels pinpoint tenderness.
Stress Fracture
A volleyball player reports a dull ache and weakness when serving overhead. There’s tenderness in the front of the shoulder, pain with resisted abduction, and limited internal rotation.
Supraspinatus impingement
A basketball player jams their finger when catching a pass. The finger is flexed at the second joint.
Boutonniere
A distance runner reports tenderness near the heel that extends toward the toes along the bottom of the foot. The discomfort has gradually increased with training. The athlete has difficulty tolerating repeated running sessions and reports tenderness along the sole of the foot.
Plantar Fasciitis
A volleyball player lands on another athlete’s foot and rolls their ankle inward. There is swelling and tenderness on the lateral side of the ankle. The athlete can walk with a limp, but it’s painful.
Ankle Sprain
An athlete collides with an opponent’s knee and is hit directly on the outside of their own knee. They have pain on the inside of the joint, some swelling, and difficulty bending the knee.
MCL
A wide receiver attempts to catch a football, but the ball strikes the tip of his index finger and forces it sharply downward. He immediately experiences pain at the fingertip. When the athletic trainer examines the hand, the end joint of the finger droops downward, and the athlete cannot actively straighten the fingertip.
Mallet Finger
A hockey player falls and lands on their hand with the wrist bent backward. There’s pain in the area, swelling, and decreased grip strength.
Wrist Sprain
A running back accelerates out of a stance. His foot remains planted while his body moves forward. He immediately experiences pain at the base of the big toe. Swelling develops, and pushing off the foot becomes painful. He has difficulty sprinting and changing direction.
Turf Toe
A 13-year-old basketball player has pain and tenderness at the front of the knee, just below the kneecap. There is some swelling over the top of the tibia. Symptoms become worse after repeated jumping and sprinting during practice.
Osgood Schlatter
A player lands awkwardly after being tackled. The athlete’s knee gives way, and they report hearing a “pop.” Within minutes, swelling appears, and they cannot bear weight.
Dislocation
Athlete has pain during shoulder movement accompanied by a clicking sensation.
SLAP/ Labral Lesions
A volleyball player has pain on the front of their shoulder when raising their arm,When palpated their is crepitus, a grating sensation. When they rest the symptoms improve.
Bicipital Tendonitis
A running back is tackled while his foot is planted firmly on the ground. A defender strikes the outside of his knee, forcing it inward. The athlete immediately falls to the ground and reports severe pain along the inside of his knee. Swelling begins to develop, and he is unable to continue playing or bear weight comfortably. The athletic trainer suspects that more than one structure may have been damaged.
Unhappy Triad
A volleyball player lands from a jump and immediately changes direction to chase the ball. Her planted knee twists, and she feels a pop. Within a short time, the knee swells rapidly. She says the knee feels unstable and has difficulty putting weight on the leg.
ACL Injury
A dancer reports sharp groin pain and a catching sensation in the hip joint when lifting their leg. There’s limited range of motion, and the pain has been worsening over several weeks without one specific incident.
Labral Tear (Hip)