Rehabilitation and splinting of common upper extremity injuries in athletes

Abstract

Treatment of athletes and the injuries they sustain can be both challenging and rewarding. Each individual case requires a careful examination of the physical symptoms and the process leading up to the injury. From this, one attempts to determine the appropriate course of treatment aimed at minimizing lost time from sports and to develop preventive strategies to promote healing and prevent future injury. Open communication between the athlete and his or her physician, therapist, trainer, and coach facilitates the most innovative and effective treatment strategies, enabling the best possible result following an athletic injury to the upper extremity.