March Madness and Physical Therapy

When you are an immigrant there are a lot of things in culture that simply do not make sense to you. I remember how shocked I was to find that lockers are a real thing in schools and not just something you see on TV. Recently I learned about a sports event that I pretended to understand for years.

 Every year I remembered hearing on the news and people around me about March Madness. Initially I believed it was somehow related to Ides of March, I was confused about it and too scared to ask people to explain it. Whenever it was brought up, I simply nodded my head and desperately wished for the conversation to move on. However, one day my husband’s father accidentally explained the event to me while he was excitedly recanted his plans to make some money through betting. 

Since my enlightenment on March Madness, I have enjoyed the season by living vicariously through other people’s betting practices. Other people may enjoy it by simply watching the game, betting themselves, or playing the game. When we play sports there is the possibility of injuries, however, injuries should deter us from enjoying the sports. So if you happen to injure yourself this March Madness, here are some exercises to get back into playing again. In addition, we have compiled a shortlist of articles with more exercises. 

Ankle Sprains:

1. Secure a resistance band to a safe, immovable item on the floor.
2. Sit down on the floor and place resistance bands on top of the affected foot.
3. Move the foot towards you and slowly move back to the original position.

Finger Sprains:

1. Place a small towel on a flat surface.
2. Squeeze the towel for six seconds
3. Slowly release the towel

Knee Pain:

1. Secure a resistance band to a safe immovable item around knee height.
2. Place the resistance band behind the knees and take a couple of steps back.
3. Squat down, with your back straight (do not lean forward) and try to hold for at least thirty seconds. 

Here are some very informative articles with more exercises for ankle sprains, finger sprains, and knee pain.