Prevention and Treatment of Sports Injuries

Written by Darren Macfarlane Sports Massage

Have you ever been running, rowing, playing football or rugby, hockey or basketball when all of a sudden you hear a pop, and a feeling like something has hit you from behind, then follows the pain and swelling and you wonder why has this happened to me and how can I prevent this from happening in the future?

I have been treating sports related injuries for many years and in this article I will look at the most common injuries that occur, how to treat them and more importantly how to prevent them. Sports Injuries are commonly caused by overuse or by a direct impact from another player or a blow from a heavy object. Common injuries include bruises, sprains, strains, joint injuries and nose bleeds. Treatment depends on the type and severity of the injury. An injury that happens suddenly, such as a sprained ankle is known as an acute injury. Chronic injuries are caused by overusing the same muscle group or joints. Poor posture and poor technique can also lead to the development of chronic injuries.

The best way to avoid sport injuries is to prevent them. It is important to pay attention to your body, don't ignore the early warning signs of an injury. Sport does have a risk of injury but if you follow some simple guidelines like warming up, wearing the right clothes and not pushing yourself too hard most injuries can be prevented.

• Some of the more common sports injuries include:
• Ankle sprain - symptoms include pain, swelling and stiffness
• Bruise - a blow can cause small bleeds into the skin

Concussion - mild reversible brain injury from a blow to the head, which may be associated with loss of consciousness. Symptoms include headache, dizziness and short term memory loss

• Cuts and abrasions - usually caused by falls. The knees and hands are particularly prone
• Dental damage - a blow to the jaw can crack, break or dislodge teeth
• Groin strain - symptoms include pain and swelling
• Hamstring strain - symptoms include pain, swelling and bruising
• Knee joint injuries - symptoms include pain, swelling and stiffness. The ligaments, tendons or cartilage can be affected
• Nose injuries - either blood nose or broken nose, caused by a direct blow
• Stress fractures - particularly in the lower limbs. The impact of repeated jumping or running on hard surfaces eventually stresses and cracks the bone

How to prevent Injury?

• Make sure to Warm –up properly
• Cool down and stretch after exercise
• Hydration: Drink plenty of water before, during and after sporting activities
• Nutrition: Nutrition provides an essential fuel supply for exercise and promotes recovery between training sessions
• Protective equipment: Protective equipment such as mouth guards, headgear and padding around goal posts helps protect from injury

Footwear: Good footwear provides protection from impact and supports the foot and ankle.

Technique: Good technique is essential for you to fully participate in and enjoy your sport safely. Poor technique can expose you to the risk of acute injury and if used for a prolonged time can cause chronic injuries.

Environment Factors: The sports environment includes not only the weather but also the surfaces that are being played on and the equipment that is being used. A safe environment will reduce the number of potential injuries.

Training Errors:

Overtraining without adequate recovery periods to allow the body to rest and repair between training sessions can lead to poor performance, fatigue and injury. If you feel particularly tired, whether from overtraining, school, or post cold or flu, do not train hard. It is important to pay attention to your body and to avoid the terrible too' s .Too much too soon, too often, too fast, too hard combined with too little rest.

What to do if you injure yourself

Stop your sporting activity. Trying to 'push through' the pain will only make the injury worse. Treat soft tissue injuries such as ligament or muscle sprains with the PRICE PRINCIPLE (when injury first occurs, use in the acute phase; the first 48 to 72 hours) This will promote the healthy healing of Tissue.

i. Protection: Protect area from further damage. Take player of pitch or stop activity you are doing

ii. Rest: Rest reduces further damage - stop activity as soon as the injury occurs.

• Avoid as much movement of the injured part as possible to limit further injury.
• Don't put any weight on the injured part of the body.

iii. Ice: Ice cools the tissue and reduces pain, swelling and bleeding.

• Place ice wrapped in a damp towel onto the injured area - don't put ice directly onto bare skin.
• Hold the ice pack firmly in place with a bandage
• Keep ice on the injury for 20 minutes every two hours for the first 48 hours.

iv. Compression

• Firm bandaging helps to reduce bleeding and swelling.
• Ensure that bandaging is not so tight that it cuts off circulation or causes tingling or pain past the bandage.
• Bandage the injury between ice treatments.

v. Elevation

• Elevation helps to stop bleeding and reduce swelling.
• Raise the injured area on a pillow for comfort and support.
• Keep the injured area raised as much as possible.

For Sports Injury Treatment & Advice contact Darren at The Blue Heron Clinic in Galway, Ireland on 086 1957378

NOTE: You should consult a medical professional if you are worried about an injury, or if the pain or swelling gets worse. Also, if the pain or swelling has not gone down significantly within 48 hours, you should seek medical treatment.