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Feature Article - Don't Ignore Your Pain

Everyday I see patients in my clinic. Some are there for acute injuries, others have had pain for weeks or months. 99% of the time I can make them better. I take pride in being good at my job.

About six weeks ago, I started treating a patient who had hip pain. It was a very common presentation, with all of the normal signs that pointed towards mobility and strength deficiencies, which over time created an inflammation of the hip. I had seen this type of presentation before, and so I was confident that I could help.

I took her through the exercises, the joint mobilizations, the stretching. Everything that I knew should make her better. We saw a little progress, but then would have setbacks. Good days and bad.

I am a bit of a perfectionist, and so I was racking my brain trying to figure out why she wasn't responding like all of the others I had successfully treated. I talked with co-workers for ideas, and we tried different approaches. Some success, some set backs. She would improve, she would get worse. Finally, the time came when I started to think that maybe something else was going on. So, I sent her back to the physician for his take on the situation.

I got a call a couple days later from her doctor. She had an MRI which revealed a very aggressive osteosarcoma in her hip. It was eating away at her bone, and invading the surrounding muscle. X-rays had shown nothing.

Osteosarcoma is nasty. It carries with it a 29% survival rate 5 years after treatment. And that is if it is caught early, and with aggressive chemotherapy, radiation, and often surgery. She is 23 years old.

The reason I write about this today, and why it has devastated me over the last week, is the thought that perhaps if she had sought medical treatment after a couple weeks of pain, this could have been caught earlier. It may not have made a difference, but it would have given her the best possible chance. No one expects to have a life threatening condition. She didn't ignore her pain because she was stubborn, or because she doesn't like doctors. It was because she didn't have guidance, and the kept hoping it would go away.

I get so many questions on the website, asking for advice about injuries. Every time I hear "I have had this pain for 6 months", I shudder.

If you have pain, or know someone who is having pain from a sports injury, or any type of injury, please see a medical professional for evaluation and treatment. Chances are, it isn't anything life threatening...but you never know. One visit to the doctor can make sure that you give yourself every possible chance to get better.

Coming Soon To SII

Also, more pages on sports injury surgeries, rehab, treatment, prevention, and even more sports injuries.

A little further down the road, The Complete Guide to Ankle Sprains - an e-book that will answer all of your ankle sprain questions and give you exactly what you need to get off the sidelines as quickly and safely as possible.

Share Your Sports Injury Story

Or just stop by and read about others sports injury stories. You might learn how to prevent or deal with your own sports injury. Please share your story now!

Until Next Time,

Barton

Stay off the Sidelines!

Sports Injury Info