subject: Chiropractor Flushing Ny | Leg Pain Causes And Common Treatments [print this page] It is not unusual to experience leg pain after an injury. Sports injuries are among the most common but you don't really need to play sports to suffer leg pain. To get a better idea of leg pain, we need to first understand the anatomy of the leg.
Anatomy of the Leg -
The leg is made up of bones, muscles, nerves and ligaments. A surprising aspect of the leg is the connection to the spine and spinal column. Nerves in the spinal cord allow the leg to function. It is these nerves that supply vital information to the brain including pressure, temperature, position and even pain.
The femur, tibia, and fibula make up the bones in the leg. The knee, hip and ankle are the major joints in the leg. Ligaments stabilize these joints. The most famous ligament is the ACL, located in the knee.
Muscles are attached to the bones and stretch across the joints. Movement is obtained when the muscle contracts. It is interesting to note that movement only works via contraction. The muscles never push. Therefore, every muscle has an opposite muscle to equalize movement.
Causes of Leg Pain -
When discussing leg pain, the first thing that comes to mind is the broken bone. Fractures occur often when playing sports or other dangerous activities. However, the leg can be broken in a variety of ways. Sometimes it takes nothing more than stepping "wrong" off a curb.
Nevertheless, sprains and strains are the most common leg injury. When a ligament is stretched beyond its limit it can sprain or even tear. When this happens in the knee, you get the infamous ACL injury. While ligament sprains and tears are painful, most people will go on to live a normal life after it heals. However, for professional sports players, a torn ligament can be a career ending injury.
The last leg injury is blood clots and peripheral artery disease. These are very specific medical conditions and are beyond the scope of this article.
Leg Pain Treatments -
How leg pain is treated greatly depends on the cause of the pain. While minor strains are only treated with rest and over-the-counter medication, injuries that are more serious require more help.
Broken bones will be set and wrapped. The cast is designed to keep the bone in the proper place as it heals. Medicine can do nothing to help a bone heal. This is a natural healing mechanism in the human body. The traditional cast only keeps the bone from moving.
Torn ligaments are often treated with prescription pain medication and physical therapy. A sports injury chiropractor will work with a physical therapist to help the patient regain function of the torn ligament. While the ligament will generally heal itself, surgery is occasionally required. This too will be followed by physical therapy.
Professional Help -
While it may seem like the only treatment is time, seeking appropriate physical therapy is crucial for many injuries. Since the muscles, ligaments and tension need to maintain flexibility and strength, guided physical therapy is needed for proper healing. Seeking the help of a qualified chiropractor and physical therapist is high recommended.
by: Chris Tomshack
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