- While athletic trainers routinely manage acute musculoskeletal injuries, differentiating joint/bone fractures and less severe injuries can be crucial to patient outcomes and care. This session provides an in-depth overview of common joint fractures encountered in athletic populations, with emphasis on mechanisms of injury, diagnostic considerations, and evidence-based management strategies. Attendees will review fracture patterns involving major joints — including the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, and ankle — and explore how sport-specific demands influence both injury occurrence and rehabilitation progression.
- This program will highlight key clinical decision-making principles, including when to refer for imaging, how to recognize red flags for surgical intervention, and appropriate timelines and criteria for return to sport. Participants will also discuss rehabilitation progressions, complications such as growth plate injuries, and interdisciplinary coordination among physicians, physical therapists, and athletic trainers.
- This education session aims to strengthen the clinician’s ability to identify, manage, and support athletes recovering from joint fractures through case-based learning and current research review.
MaineGeneral Sports Medicine & Colby College Sports Medicine offers An Overview of Joint Fractures
CAT A Presentation
On-Demand
- James Dunlap, MD, MaineGeneral Sports Medicine
- Robert Stevens, DO, MaineGeneral Sports Medicine
- Chris Lutrzykowski, MD, MaineGeneral Sports Medicine
- Thomas Hoke, MD, MaineGeneral Sports Medicine
Objectives
At the conclusion of this program, the participant will be able to:
• Identify common fracture types and mechanisms at each major joint.
• Differentiate stable versus unstable fracture patterns and appropriate management pathways.
• Apply current evidence-based guidelines for return-to-play following joint fractures.
• Apply case-based reasoning to improve clinical outcomes in fracture rehabilitation.
According to the education levels described by the PDC, the following continuing education course is considered to be Advanced.
Credits Awarded
CEUs awarded: 3.5 CAT A CEUs
MaineGeneral Medical Center (BOC AP#: P2258) is approved by the Board of Certification, Inc. to provide continuing education to Certified Athletic Trainers. This program is eligible for a maximum of (3.5) CAT A CEUs. ATs should claim only those hours actually spent in the educational program.
