interview with a physical therapist

Steve Coppola, PT

When someone first comes to see me, first thing I tried to do is to bring down the inflammation, usually swelling and inflammation. First, there is a lot of pain, so we try to deal with the pain. There are many ways to help reducing the pain. We use ultrasound machine and medicated pad called iondo. Medicated pad has steroid in it. Steroid helps bring down inflammation. We could also use cold level laser. All these thing will try to bring down inflamation and will try to kill pain.

For example, may be the shoulder hurts. There is the whole weight of the shoulder bearing down, so I taped it with a elastic type of tape. To try to bring it up and give it some support. Then, we try to get back to the range of motion. We will do a lot of stretching. I will stretch the muscle and I also go to the joint itself. We want to mobolize the joint. We want to get back the range of motion and to strengthen it so that the injury does not happen again.

Sometime you use elevation to reduce the swelling?

Right, It is call the RICE. – Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. When someone just got hurt. We like to put ice on it. to raise it above the heart level.

What is the most common injury?

Ankle injury is the most common injury. We use ultrasound machine to help the healing. Ultrasound head has crystal. Electricity goes into through crystal, shakes it and releases ultrasound. The ultrasound go deep down into the tissue, about 5cm, and it helps increased circulation.

Do you see any different sport-specific injuries in adults or kids, women or men?

A lot of women and children have hypermobility issue. They tend to have excess motion. When there is excess motion sometimes it ends up hurting person.

What is the worst injury that you have seen? -

The worst injury that I had seen is the case of someone broken his neck during a soccer game. The ball hit his head, he fell, and broke his neck. Luckily he was not paralyzed. But, he has to wear a head and neck brace for a while.

What is the worst injury of in ANY sport? t

I think it is relative to each sport. For example, in hockey, if the player hurt his knee or ankle, it is over. - that is the worst one for him. So It is whatever that the sport depends on. The worst injury is whatever injury that you cannot get back to play the same sport.

WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON BODY PARTS THAT GET INJURED?

I would say lower back, neck, shoulder, knee, ankle, elbow, and wrist.