Weekend Warrior Injuries

When the Weekend Catches Up With You

All week you’re sitting at a desk, driving, working, or keeping up with everyday life.

Then the weekend arrives.

Golf. Pickleball. Hiking. Tennis. Cycling. Yard work. A long run. Maybe even a friendly basketball game that became a little more competitive than expected.

Your mind remembers exactly what to do. Your body may have a different opinion.

Sometimes the result is ordinary muscle soreness. Other times, that pain you expected to disappear by Monday doesn’t.

What Did I Injure?

Weekend warrior injuries can happen suddenly—a twist, a pull, an awkward landing, or one movement followed by immediate pain.

Others develop from doing too much, too quickly, especially when the same muscles and tendons haven’t been challenged that way during the week.

Common problems may involve:

Rotator cuff and other shoulder tendons

Tennis or golfer’s elbow

Muscle strains

Knee tendons and ligaments

Achilles and other ankle tendons

Plantar fascia

Bursae and other soft tissues

Persistent swelling, weakness, tenderness, or difficulty moving normally may be signs that it’s more than typical post-activity soreness.

When Movement Helps Tell the Story

Maybe your shoulder hurts only during your golf swing. Your knee hurts when you squat. Your ankle bothers you when you push off, or your elbow hurts when you grip something.

MSK ultrasound provides real-time imaging, allowing many accessible muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and other soft tissues to be evaluated while you move.

When appropriate, we can examine the painful area as you reproduce the movement or position that causes your symptoms. That dynamic view can provide valuable information about what may be happening at the moment you actually hurt.

MSK ultrasound is safe, noninvasive, and uses no radiation.

Before He Ever Picks Up the Probe

At the Center for Musculoskeletal Ultrasound, every examination begins before the ultrasound probe is ever picked up.

We start by listening. What were you doing when the pain began? Did you feel a pull, pop, or sudden sharp pain? Did the discomfort appear gradually after activity? Which movement makes it hurt now?

Michael Jablon, an expert in musculoskeletal ultrasound, begins with a focused history and a careful physical and positional examination, looking for the movements that reproduce your symptoms and the clues your body provides. This is referred to as the Jablon Protocol. Only then does he pick up the probe, using what he has learned to guide the ultrasound examination.

Sore—or Something More?

Not every Monday morning ache needs an imaging study. Sometimes your body really is just reminding you what you did over the weekend.

But when pain persists, swelling doesn’t improve, weakness develops, or normal movement becomes difficult, finding out what’s causing the symptoms may help determine the appropriate next step.

Getting an accurate diagnosis doesn’t mean giving up the activities you enjoy. It can be the first step toward getting back to them safely.

Ready to Get Answers?

If your weekend activity left you with pain that isn’t going away, a focused MSK ultrasound evaluation may help identify what may be contributing to your symptoms.

Call the Center for Musculoskeletal Ultrasound at 949.229.7377 to schedule an evaluation.

Orthopedic Ultrasound Inc.