Common sports injuries seen by the primary care physician. Part II: Lower extremity

Sports medicine is the science of caring for the medical and surgical needs of athletes and their injuries. Injuries of the upper extremity were dealt with in Part I in a previous article. Part II deals with injuries of the lower extremity. Trochanteric bursitis and hamstring strains are treated with rest, rehabilitation, and correction of training errors. Patellofemoral pain syndromes require accurate diagnosis and usually a rehabilitative program. Injuries to the medial collateral ligament are very common, but can be associated with tears of the meniscus and cruciate ligaments. The latter two often require surgical intervention. Ankle sprains are graded by severity. The most severe can result in chronic pain or instability, but most respond well to functional bracing and progressive return to activity.