Return to Non-Cardiovascular Outcomes Index Page
SPORTS INJURIES and STRAINS
Shin Splints in the Elite X-Country Runner - KP
Elbow Fracture in the Elite Swimmer - CK
Ankle Fracture in a High School Soccer Star - AK
Ballet Injury - Partially Torn Achilles' Tendon in a Ballerina - PC
Getting a Swimmer ready for Districts - FS
Sports Injury - Shin Splints in the Elite X-Country Runner - KP
KP and my son were on the same team in junior high basketball. KP is a good athlete, and he's a good kid. KP ran X-Country and Track throughout his high school career, and as a Senior, he hoped to place at the state X-Country meet. KP got slowed down by injury during his junior year. Stress fractures (tiny microfractures due to repetitive wear and tear) developed in both of KP's Tibia (shin bones), producing pain, always during a run, and often at rest. The treatment for a stress fracture is rest, a difficult prescription for a committed runner like KP. KP rested, as best he could, and for a period of time KP's legs were placed in a cast. KP continued to experience pain, and this became an issue during training for X-Country his senior year.
Healing bony fractures was the first use of magnetism in modern clinical medicine, so we treated KP with 22 hours of MME. We recommend that individuals with musculoskeletal problems rest the affected region during MME, and over the ensuing four weeks. But this was KP's senior year - his last chance at states. He didn't rest. He kept on running. Basically we treated him for 2-3 hours at a time, between school and the start of practice. KP's shin pain improved, and then it resolved. He placed well at the state meet. KP was pleased, and so were we.
Sports Injury - Elbow Fracture in the Elite Swimmer - CK
Success in athletics requires natural talent, but at the elite level, its long-term commitment and drive that determines how you will place. CK has talent, and a lot of drive, and she made the long-term commitment to be successful in swimming. Getting up at 6 AM for the 1st of two-a-day practices in high school wasn't much fun, but it got CK to states....and a full athletic scholarship at a big ten school. Here the rigors got more rigorous. Two-a-day practices plus keeping up her grades in a demanding academic schedule is tough, but if you want to be successful at the big ten level while preparing to be successful later in life, that's what you have to do, and that's what CK did. There isn't much time for rest.
CK didn't rest much, that is until a non-swimming accident slowed her down. CK slipped on an icy walkway and fell hard, bruising her shoulder and breaking her humerus (arm bone) as it approached the elbow. Her arm was placed in a sling, and CK was forced to stop swimming for three weeks. The sling was then removed and CK got back in the pool, but she wasn't swimming well. Her elbow didn't feel right. It didn't look right, and it didn't bend right. The break wasn't healing over properly. The break needed more time to heal but CK had a big ten meet to prepare for. CK swam with my girls in high school and CK's family and mine are close. Over a four day fall break, CK received 40 hours of MME to her elbow. We prefer that patients rest the affected joint during MME and over the following four weeks, but CK was in active training and she swam every day.
CK felt a tingle in her elbow under the MME machine - we think this represents cells moving around within the healing process. CK's elbow pain resolved. The joint went on to heal just fine. CK resumed competitive swimming, and as a sophomore placed 6th in the nation in her stroke. See where long-term commitment and drive gets you.
Sports Injury - Ankle Fracture in a High School Soccer Star - AK
AK is the best player on his high school soccer squad. The scouts were watching and a college athletic scholarship was a real possibility - "was" - because AK's senior year soccer season ended soon after it began. On 8/22, AK planted his foot, another player hit him from behind - the result was a minimally displaced left malleolar fracture (the two bones of the calf are the tibia and fibula - AK's fibula was fractured as it attaches to the bones of the ankle). Surgery with screw placement was not felt to be necessary, but a leg and ankle cast was placed. A follow up X-Ray on 8/28 showed little change. AK was told that the cast would be on for six weeks and that he would not be able to return to sports for several months. AK's season was over; the scouts would just have to watch other players.
AK's Mom heard about our MME program and out results with other student athletes. AK received 39 hours of MME (during which time he did his homework - at least that's what he told his Mom) between 8/31 and 9/11. An X-Ray taken on 9/13 demonstrated incomplete healing of the fracture. We weren't sure whether enough healing had taken place to allow the cast to come off, and AK's wasn't scheduled to see his orthopedic surgeon until early October. We treated AK with 15 additional hours of MME between 9/23 and 9/25. AK's 10/04 X-Ray demonstrated nearly complete healing. AK's orthopedist removed the cast and sent AK back to the soccer field. AK completed his senior soccer season without incident.
EH slipped and landed badly, sustaining a severe ankle sprain. Her ankle was swollen, bruised, and it hurt. The emergency room doctor told EH that she would need to be on crutches for two weeks. As it so happened, EH's husband, RH, was undergoing MME for disc disease when EH hurt her ankle. EH and RH are basically inseparable; we treated RH at night and EH would sleep on a couch in the MME treatment room. Now EH wasn't sleeping too well - her ankle hurt too much. One of the other MME machines was open, so we treated EH with 25 hours of MME over three nights. Her ankle essentially "unstrained". The swelling and redness resolved in a matter of days; so did the pain and EH was able to walk freely without crutches. Static magnetic field therapy is used in Europe to reduced inflammation and promote healing following surgery. Three nights in the MME room isn't like going to Europe, but it sure worked well for EH's severe ankle sprain.
Partially Torn Achilles' Tendon in a Ballerina - PC
PC, a 59 year old accomplished ballerina and current teaching
professional, was performing on an improperly prepared stage, and experienced
severe heel pain. MRI demonstrated a high grade 8 cm. partial tear of her
right Achilles' tendon. PC's Podiatrist recommended surgery. PC
obtained a second opinion from a Podiatrist experienced with ballet related
injury. He indicated that the partial tear could heal on its own, but only
with prolonged rest. PC likes to rest just as much as Dr. Roberts likes to
not run. PC got involved in swimming but really wanted to return to the
stage. She traveled from Lincoln Nebraska to Toledo and received 150 hours
of MME in 12/06. PC was also troubled by chronic wrist strain, and
received 15 hours of MME to her wrists. While in Toledo PC swam with
several of our other patients who participate in the Master's swimming program
at GTAC (the Greater Toledo Aquatic Club). PC wrote us 4 weeks out from
MME and we discussed her progress over the phone. The cold air of Lincoln
wasn't helping but PC was doing better. She continues to swim every day.
PC was back to teaching ballet but was not yet pushing herself on the floor.
The bump over her Achilles' tendon was less noticeable, and the pain was
certainly less intense. As PC wrote:
Dear Dr. Roberts,
This is an update on my right foot
and the Achilles' Tendon. It is now a month since the treatment. My
left wrist is great and the pain is gone most days. We have had a rough
month weather wise - lots of ice and snow and very cold - some days 6 or 8
degrees F. On the frigid days my wrist may be sore. I try to protect it
outdoors with long gloves, etc.
My tendon is getting better daily.
I have been trying to stay off of my foot when possible and doing less in the
studio. I notice over the weekend ... I am off my foot more... and it is
great. To my surprise the bump that was on the outside at the back of the
Achilles' Tendon is gone in the relaxed position of the foot.
I continue to swim daily. Due
to the weather we had some "snow days" and I was able to stay of of it. I
could feel a difference when I was able to stay off of it. I have been
able to get eight hours of sleep nightly. I do still feel sensation in the
ankle, so I know it is still healing.
I have not done the floor
exercises yet, I am to try and wait another two weeks still. The corn
under my toe did not totally go away but it is not painful and it became smaller
and dry and the core fell off. I think it is dead and will vanish also -
amazing.
I am so grateful fro the
treatment and I will write again in another month. All the very best
wishes to your family and yourself - Yours sincerely, PC.
Getting a Swimmer ready for Districts - FS
This 17 year old competitive swimmer presented with 2-4 weeks of progressive shoulder pain. His personal physician diagnosed a AC (Acromio-Clavicular) separation. His physical therapist felt that the problem was more a rotator cuff impingement. Neither felt that the joint was unstable or in need of surgery, but both counseled rest - but the district swim meet, the most important event in the NW Ohio high school swim season, was just four weeks away. Rest now would compromise FS's performance at districts. FS's high school had won the district meet 40 years in a row, usually without major challenge, but this year a rival school was talking like they were in contention. There was just no way that FS was not going to contribute to his team's effort - but FS's shoulder hurt each time he made a stroke.
Rest alone would have worked, but as rest was not an option, FS was treated with MME, 27 hours over a 3 day weekend. Otherwise FS did not significantly interrupt his training schedule. Early on FS didn't notice much effect, but within a week FS's shoulder discomfort lessened considerably and he could swim with minimal discomfort. Oh, his team won districts, for the 41th consecutive time, and the contenders (actually they were pretenders) finished third.
AMRI of NW Ohio provides MME treatment under the guidelines of an Investigational Review Board, consistent with FDA regulations.
Please note that MME treatment is considered to be experimental by the FDA. Although many patients have improved, no guarantee of success is implied.