What Happens When You Injure Your Joints?
Joint injuries are very common sports injuries and typically involve stretching the joints beyond their normal range of motion.
This can result in sprained or even torn ligaments, muscles/tendons, and joint capsules.
Examples include:
- Ankle sprain
- Knee sprain
- Hip dislocation
- Elbow hyperextension
- Shoulder dislocation
Initially, this will result in acute pain, inflammation, and limited range of motion. However, with proper early therapy, usually rest and some immobilization, this will settle down within 2 weeks. Then, over the next 4-10 weeks, the ligaments, muscles/tendons, and joint capsule will heal through the natural healing process.
HOWEVER, every time there is a traumatic joint injury, it will result in decreased strength, balance, and overall joint stability. This puts you at risk of decreased performance and a high rate of recurring injuries.
What Should You Do For Joint Injuries?
A progressive rehabilitation therapy that includes strength exercises for the targeted muscles affected, as well as global strength exercises to support the affected area, will improve strength, function, and stability.
HOWEVER, strength exercises alone are not sufficient to fully restore joint stability. Functional exercises that focus on balance and skills are necessary to improve proprioception (balance and stability). These functional exercises, along with sport-specific or activity-specific exercises, are crucial to prepare you for returning to your sport or activity.
What Is Proprioception?
Proprioception is like the sixth sense of our body, providing us with unconscious awareness of our body. Proprioceptors are receptors in our muscles and joints throughout the body that continuously send feedback and information to the brain about the position of our body in space and the sensations it feels. Examples of proprioception at work include:
- Touching your nose with your finger when your eyes are closed
- Knowing whether your feet are on soft grass or hard concrete without looking
- Balancing on one leg
- Throwing a ball without needing to look at the throwing arm
Why Is Proprioception Important?
Proprioception is essential for precise and fluid movements, making it crucial for both athletes and recreational individuals. It enables:
- A basketball player to perform simultaneous actions without stopping to consciously think about each one individually, such as running while dribbling the ball.
- An athlete to transition smoothly between different surfaces, making unconscious, slight adaptations to maintain an upright position and balance.
- A volleyball player to land on one leg while maintaining proper hip, knee, and ankle alignment, instead of overstretching or twisting them and risking injury.
- A goalkeeper to jump high to catch the ball and know how much to raise their arms.
- A tennis player to change direction when returning a serve without consciously thinking about which way to move their feet.
Simply put, proprioception is a neuromuscular skill that allows us to perform complex movements without conscious thinking. Like riding a bicycle or learning to play a musical instrument, we need to practice the skill to improve it.
How To Train Proprioception?
Training proprioception is similar to a progressive strength program: you start with basic exercises that focus on simpler movements, then progress to more challenging exercises, and eventually to complex and sport-specific movements.
The good thing about proprioception training is that with regular practice, progress can be achieved quickly (compared to a progressive strength program that may take a minimum of 6-12 weeks to see results).
Can Balance Exercises Prevent Injuries?
Even without injury, proprioception exercises are an excellent tool for injury prevention and performance improvement.
Incorporating a few sport-specific exercises for 5-10 minutes several times a week can have a great effect on your balance and coordination. This can save valuable time away from the sport by proactively preventing injuries!
