People of all ages are becoming more active to reap the benefits of exercise. Sports injuries are a common occurrence, especially if you do too much or don’t warm up or train properly,. Some injuries can be well-treated and the majority of people can resume their physical activities to a satisfactory level following an injury. However, some injuries are preventable if you follow the right precautions.
If you feel a lot of discomfort that is hampering your regular sports and physical activities, you immediately need medical assistance. Through the various diagnosis methods, the specialist can determine the severity of your sports injury and accordingly plan a treatment strategy.
Sports Injury Explained
These are the physical activity injuries that an individual suffers while participating in sports or performing other strenuous tasks. Determination of the severity of the damage becomes easy by understanding the impact on the body endures. Strains, sprains, and fractures are the most common injuries in sports as these injuries can occur on any part of the body.
An injury can affect people of all demographics, including athletes, sports enthusiasts, and individuals who perform physically demanding tasks. Moreover, it can affect the musculoskeletal system, including muscles, ligaments, tendons, and other parts like bones and joints.
Sports Injury Occurrence
Sports injuries can affect anyone, from professional athletes to artists or even factory workers. Due to their unpredictable nature, anyone can get injured in sports, and these are some relevant risk factors that can pose injuries:
- Incorrect form or exercise techniques
- Train too much or too frequently at once
- Increasing your workout intensity too fast.
- Regularly repeating the same actions over a long period of time
- Running on Hard Ground
- Inappropriate footwear
- Using improper equipment
- Already have a previous injury
Symptoms
- Pain, Aches or Tenderness
- Bruising
- A deformity like unnatural
- joint or bone not in place
- Reduced mobility
- Clicking, cracking, grinding or popping sound
- Inability to support your hip foot or leg weight
- Skin feels warm to touch
- A weakness or stiffness
- Swelling
- Problems moving an area of the body normally
Common Types Of Sports Injury
Listed below are the common types of sports injuries that a person may suffer from:
Ligament Injury :
A ligament injury affects the fibrous connective tissue that connects bones to other bones, often leading to joint instability and reduced range of motion.
Broken Bone: Usually occurs when a sudden force is applied.
Cartilage Tear: While the cartilage protects and covers the ends of some bones, it is tough but flexible and these injuries may occur in the knee or shoulder.
Sprains: As ligaments stabilize and connect joints, a ligament tear or stretch involves sprain and common injuries can come to your ankle, wrist, or other joints.
Strains: A muscle stretch is usually a strain in a muscle that can involve hamstring strains, back strains and abdominal strains, etc.
Dislocation: This situation occurs when the end of any bone moves from its normal position within a joint, like some people may face shoulder dislocation while exercising any sports or other physical activities.
Tendinitis: The swollen or inflamed tissues that connect your muscles to bones is the condition caused by repeated movements.
Acute vs Chronic
There are two categories that we can classify the sports injury that you sustained- Acute and Chronic. Since both categories have different treatment plans, it is important to understand the type you have.
A sports injury that is acute occurs at a specific moment, and in sports commonly by bumping into someone, falling, or twisting an ankle, etc. The severity of this injury is directly related to the magnitude of a single traumatic event.
Contrastingly, repeated stress and endurance over a period can give rise to chronic injury. Examples can include golfer’s injury, tendinitis and stress fractures, as chronic injury is often characterized by a decreased range of motion and stiffness. An individual can also develop a chronic injury if they place constant pressure or stress on a certain muscle or other part of the body.
Understanding The Nature Of Injury Is Essential
It is important to understand that the nature of injury varies from person to person. Some may experience pain after running on pavement for a short time, while others can run on it for many years. Athletes that have successfully completed physical therapy will find their previous injury to be of little concern, while those who did not recover properly may experience daily pain.
Wearing the right footwear to prevent lower-back pain, while staying hydrated outdoors to avoid heat exhaustion becomes an absolute necessity if you are a sports person. It is possible to prevent muscle cramps, which are common during sports by seeking professional medical advice.
In addition to risk factors, they also consider your lifestyle. Mobility exercises can be used to improve joint mobility by understanding the different possibilities that you can achieve by a consultation with the specialist.
Diagnosis
A medical specialist will most likely perform the following procedures to suspect a sports injury:
Physical Examination: The doctor may try to move the injured body part or joint which helps them understand the nature of the injured part.
Medical History: This doctor may ask you for a detailed medical history if this is the first time you’ve seen them.
Imaging tests: CT scans and MRIs can help your doctor or healthcare provider see inside your body, allowing them to confirm the diagnosis of a sports injury.
Treatment And Management
RICE is a popular method of treating sports injuries recommended by most specialists as the first step. This comes as:
Rest
Ice
Compression
Elevation
This method works well for minor injuries as it can help the injured person recover and relax by using it for the first 24 to 36 hours after the injury. However, the doctor may prescribe medications over-the-counter, but if the severity increases and you don’t get relief after using the RICE method, then see a doctor immediately.
Other Treatment Options
Treatment for more serious injuries may require:
- Immobilization using a cast, splint, sling or walking boot.
- Using injections to reduce swelling and pain.
- Anti-inflammatory medications available only on prescription.
- Repairing fractures, or repairing ligaments, tendon or cartilage tears or tendons.
- ARTHROSCOPY SURGERY : Arthroscopy surgery involves the use of a small camera and specialized instruments to diagnose and treat joint problems with minimal invasiveness.
Rehabilitation
After the initial injury heals, it is necessary to rehabilitate that area before returning to the activity that caused the injury. The rehabilitation process can include formal exercises performed under the supervision of an athlete’s trainer or informal strengthening and conditioning without supervision. Physical therapists may give athletes instructions on exercises they can perform independently.
Prevention
Mentioned down here are some ways that you can be safe from sports injury:
- Stretching helps you to stay flexible.
- Start slow.
- Protect yourself with protective equipment such as padding, helmets and supportive shoes.
- Water is essential for your health.
- Rest as much during your exercise as you can.
- Ensure you have recovered fully before resuming.
Conclusion
Although getting active and participating in sports can benefit your overall health and well-being, accidents do happen and the sweat could be detrimental to your body over the long run. This is the reason it becomes so important to understand the nature of the injuries sustained while playing any sports, and how you can treat those injuries.
Untreated sports injuries can cause you to miss a long period of time or even prevent you from participating in your sport. However, if the symptoms worsen, you should seek immediate medical attention. Patients can expect to receive the best treatment for sports injuries by visiting Dr.Swapnil Gadge. With years of expertise in this field, the doctor will identify the problem and make you feel exactly like yourself by providing customized treatment options for sports-related injuries. Make an appointment today!