Acute Knee Injuries " Serena is a 17-year-old competitive soccer player "

Case study ( 4797 views as of March 19, 2024 )

Serena is a 17-year-old competitive soccer player who was playing on wet turf on the weekend. She planted her foot and pivoted to attempt a goal shot, and felt a sudden “snap” and pain in her knee. She was able to limp off the field and iced it on the advice of her coach. The pain wasn’t too bad, but by the next morning it was very swollen, and she couldn’t bend it much. She also felt a weird “shifting” feeling in her knee in certain positions.

Serena may benefit from seeing her family physician, a sports medicine specialist and a personal/athletic trainer. She may then be referred to an orthopaedic surgeon, physiotherapist or pain management specialist who may then refer her for private MRI/imaging services. Other allied health professionals Serena could consider consulting with are a bracing specialist, acupuncturist and a pharmacist.

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Conversation based on: Acute Knee Injuries " Serena is a 17-year-old competitive soccer player "

Acute Knee Injuries " Serena is a 17-year-old competitive soccer player "

  • At such a young age, I would hope she gets this injury thoroughly taken care of. She may have a lifetime of trouble with it, if she doesn't.
    • My daughter injured her knee when she was 15. As typical with many teens she didn't follow the doctors instructions and as a result she still suffers from knee pain and stiffness
  • After such an injury should the coach not have insisted she receive medical attention ? I would seem that she would cause further damage by not having this looked after.
    • @ShirleyG you're right her coach should have advised her to seek medical treatment. Unfortunately depending on the level she plays at her coach might just be a parent volunteer with no mandatory training whatsoever
    • Understandable, however shouldn't the coach encourage her to receive treatment by a qualified professional ?
    • Her coach may not have the first aid knowledge required to make that judgement.
  • Serena will definitely benefit from consulting professionals for her acute knee injury. They can assist with her recovery and help avoid lifelong issues with her injured knee.
    • She should get this injury assessed as soon as possible. Leaving it untreated could prolong the injury and make it worse.
    • She definitely should have this taken care of properly right away to avoid long term issues or other issues that may arise later in life as a result of this injury.
    • Absolutely @Yuan. She is so young that her parents should ensure her injury is properly treated and she is following the directions from her physician and/or physiotherapist as well as any other specialists. I would also advise they are careful before allowing her to return to activity, and ensure that her injury has been adequately rehabilitated.
  • What is the difference between a physiotherapist and a Sports Medicine Specialist ?
    • Does a sports medicine specialist usually work out of an office or a physiotherapy clinic ?
    • The main difference with a sports medicine physician is that they can order imaging and prescriptions that a physiotherapist is not licensed to do. With a kinesiologist, we can help rehab an injury once we know what it is, but we cannot diagnose what an injury is. That's where a physiotherapist and/or a sports medicine physician helps us. :)
  • The article suggests doctors that might assist this patient but doesn't mention what doctors she has seen. I would hope after sudden pop sensation in the knee that she saw a medical professional
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