Sports Medicine at McKenzie Health

If your son or daughter is under the care of a physician, the timetable for their return is established by the physician. Athletes should be able to return to play safely given the injury has had time to heal so the athlete is not put at further risk for re-injury.

Concussions are typically managed according to their severity. Immediately after a concussion, medical evaluation is needed to determine a child’s vital signs and level of consciousness, to rule out any other injuries, such as those to the spine. Recent guidelines indicate that any child who loses consciousness as a result of trauma during a sporting event should be evaluated by a hospital emergency department. In cases of less severe concussion, athletes are typically evaluated on site rather than in hospital emergency departments.

Sprains and strains are placed into three categories according to severity, as follows:

Grade I (Mild): Tissue is stretched.

Slight swelling (barely noticeable).
Mild loss of range of motion (ability to move in various directions) and strength (0 – 25%).
No decrease in stability.

Grade II (Moderate): Involves stretching and some tearing of tissue.

Moderate swelling (may look “baseball” sized).
Usually includes some bruising.
Moderate loss of range of motion and strength (25 – 75%).
Some decrease in stability.

Grade III (Severe): Complete tearing of tissue.

Significant swelling and bruising.
Near complete loss of range of motion and strength (75 – 100%).
Marked decrease in stability.

Common causes of non-traumatic shoulder pain are rotator cuff tendinopathy, shoulder impingement syndrome, and degenerative changes of the shoulder (arthritis). 

A physical exam and imaging can help your provider determine the cause of your symptoms and the appropriate treatment.