Head and neck injuries can be some of the scariest injuries in sports. If significant contact to the head or neck or rapid motion of the head or neck occur, a medical evaluation is recommended.
Having a healthcare professional that you trust to rule in/out serious medical conditions and to facilitate your recovery will ensure a safe and effective return to activity.
For many head and neck injuries, professional neck & head injury treatment via physical therapy may be recommended. Herlong Sports Physical Therapy treats a number of head & neck injuries, including but not limited to the following.
Common Sports Head Injuries
Concussions
A concussion is an injury to the brain that results in temporarily altered brain function. No structural changes are seen on imaging with a concussion. However, metabolic changes and an “energy crisis” occur as a result of the brain trauma leading to temporary neurological symptoms.
Concussions are a form of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and should be managed under the supervision of the appropriate medical professionals. If you are experiencing symptoms of a concussion, seek professional concussion treatment as soon as possible.
Common Sports Neck Injuries
Cervical Radiculopathy
Cervical radiculopathy is defined by irritation of one of the nerves originating in the neck. Symptoms include pain, numbness, or tingling in the upper back, between the shoulder blades, down the arm, or even into the hands or fingers. Cervical radiculopathy may be caused by a disc herniation.
Stingers/Brachial Plexopathy
Stingers or Brachial Plexopathy is an injury or overstretching of the nerves that originate from the neck and travel down the arm. This injury often occurs when the head and neck are forcefully side bent and/or when the shoulder is depressed.
Symptoms may include burning, numbness, tingling, or weakness in the arm. Symptoms typically resolve in a few minutes or less; however, if symptoms persist, evaluation from an appropriate medical provider is recommended.
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS)
Thoracic outlet syndrome is defined by the compression of nerves that originate from the neck or blood vessels in the thoracic outlet region, the area between the clavicle (collar bone) and the first rib. Symptoms may include neck pain, shoulder pain, and/or numbness, tingling, swelling, or pain down the arm and into the fingers.
Sprains/strains
Sprains and strains can affect the neck when an overstretching of one or more of the ligaments (sprain) or muscles/tendons (strain) of the spine occurs. This may be due to high-speed, forceful movements of the neck or excessive motion, such as whiplash, contact injuries in sport, or even lifting.
Ligaments are structures that connect bone to bone that provide stability and assist in control of a particular joint. Ligament sprains typically take 4-6 weeks to recover from; however, in some cases symptoms may persist for several months or more. Muscle strains typically take a few days to recover from, but may persists for a few weeks.
Spinal Cord Injury
Injury to the spinal cord usually occurs from high-energy trauma to the head and/or neck. Spinal cord injuries may occur from a fracture to one or more of the bones in the neck, damage to one or more of the ligaments of the neck causing a dislocation of one of the joints injuring the spinal cord, spinal stenosis (narrowing), or a disc herniation that compresses the spinal cord.
Symptoms may include muscle weakness or paralysis of the arms and/or legs, pain or pressure in the neck, numbness or tingling in the extremities, and/or decreased coordination. Symptoms may last for anywhere from a few hours (transient quadriplegia) to a lifetime. A spinal cord injury is considered a medical emergency.
What Patients Are Saying
Head & Neck Injury Treatment
If you are experiencing head or neck pain, weakness, or loss of function, make an appointment with one of our doctors at Herlong Sports Physical Therapy!
Maryland is a direct access state, which means that you do not need a referral to see a physical therapist.
Appointments at HSPT are one-on-one, 45-minute sessions with a licensed Doctor of Physical Therapy who will develop an individualized program specific to you based on the best research evidence and your unique values, preferences, and circumstances.
Session frequency can range anywhere from one session every other week to three or more sessions per week, depending on the injury.
Visit one of our three locations in Marriottsville, Eldersburg, or Clarksville, MD for head and neck injury treatment.