Pleased to meet you … guess you’ve got a sprain.

If it helps, you’re probably not alone. About two million people in the U.S. sprain an ankle every year. And although exercising regularly is good for your health, it also puts you at higher risk for an ankle sprain. In fact, it’s one of the most common injuries among people who play sports, and the most common injury for college athletes.i

A pulled back muscle may happen suddenly while lifting a squirming child or overexerting at the gym. It may also appear over time as weak muscles steadily debilitate and trigger injuries.

A pulled muscle in your lower back, upper back, or neck is uncomfortable and can be inconvenient, especially if you are an athlete or lead an active life.

A spinal fracture is a painful and potentially serious injury. Both trauma, such as from an accident or fall, and diseases that weaken bones, such as osteoporosis, can fracture the spine.¹ Some of the symptoms associated with a spinal fracture may include:

Ankle surgery recovery takes time—typically at least six weeks, depending on the type of surgery and the severity of the injury.¹ Recovery downtime is inevitable, but there are steps you can take to help move along the healing process.

Like with any type of injury, wrist surgery recovery time will vary depending on the type of injury, the type of surgery, and the general health of the individual before the operation. For most people, wrist surgery recovery times range from a few weeks to several months. The bone itself may heal within a month or two, but fully recovering from the surgery or the injury can take 4 to 6 months.¹ Consult with your doctor to get a more specific recovery timetable for yourself. 

If you have scheduled a procedure to repair a torn ACL, you’re probably wondering, “How long will I be out of my normal routine?” Although this is an important question, there is much more to ACL surgery recovery than just getting back on your feet. Even after you’re able to walk without crutches or other assistive devices, your body is still healing, and the recovery process continues. For most people, it takes 2-9 months to fully recover from ACL surgery.¹ A 2016 study of 80 amateur athletes found that on average, athletes returned to their sport after eight months.² 

A groin strain injury can happen to anybody, but it is most common in athletes, and particularly those who play soccer, football, or hockey.¹ The injury happens when the muscles in the groin area contract too suddenly, causing a painful stretch or tear in the muscle tissue.² How do you know if you have a groin strain injury?

The opioid crisis is a hot topic in both mainstream and pain management news, which is not surprising considering the dramatic increase in opioid-related deaths in recent years. One study published in the JAMA Network Open found that U.S. deaths attributable to opioids increased 292 percent between 2001 and 2016.¹ This same study reported that in 2016, 20 percent of the deaths of adults ages 24-35 involved opioids.  

Growing awareness of the opioid crisis has prompted medical professionals to generate potential solutions, primarily by coming up with alternatives for pain management. These four stories highlight the various ways the medical industry is responding to the crisis through innovation, cooperation, and new policies.