Sports injuries

Sports injuries are the injuries that one suffers while participating in a sport, exercise or related physical activity. Sports injuries are highly common among children, athletes or gym-goers. However, adults can also be affected by these problems. The branch of orthopaedics that deal with these injuries is known as sports medicine.

Sports injuries can impact any body part including tendons, ligaments, muscles and bones. Your knees and ankles are more prone to being impacted by an injury than other body parts.

Sports injuries are often characterised by pain, swelling, muscle ache, soreness, decreased strength or speed.

There are several different types of sports injuries depending upon the area it affects and its symptoms. Common types include:

Sprains – Sprain is a soft tissue injury resulting from overstretching or tearing of the ligaments. 

Strains – Strain is also a soft tissue injury, however, it is caused by a tear in the tendons. 

Knee injuries – The knee is a complex joint made up of cartilage, bones, meniscus, ligaments and tendons. Injuries impacting any part of the knee joint are identified as knee injuries. Common knee injuries include fractures, ACL injury, PCL injury and meniscus tear. 

Swollen muscles – Swollen muscles or muscle strains are injuries that cause inflammation or swelling in a muscle. It is also sometimes called a pulled muscle. 

Achilles tendon rupture – The Achilles tendon is a fibrous cord connecting the muscles in the back of your calf to your heel. A tear or rupture in this cord is known as Achilles tendon rupture. This injury can cause a disability in the movement of your feet and severe pain. 

Stress fractures – Stress fractures (broken bones) are cracks or tear in the bones resulting from overuse or repetitive stress. Repeated jumping or running for long distances can cause these fractures. 

Rotator cuff injury – Rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons in your shoulder joint. The rotator cuff is responsible for keeping your upper arm bone intact in the shallow socket of the shoulder. Strains or tears in this group of muscles that cause severe pain and decreased mobility in your shoulder is known as rotator cuff injury. 

Shoulder dislocation – A dislocated shoulder is one when the upper arm bone in your shoulder pops out of the shoulder blade socket. 

Shin splints – The shin bone is the large bone in front of the leg below your knee. Any injury that causes pain in the shinbone is called shin splints. It is a common injury among runners and dancers. 

Recurrent athletic injuries – Recurrent injuries are the ones that occur in the same body part that has previously sustained an injury.

If you experience an injury while working out, the first step is to stop exercising. Sometimes, the symptoms of an injury are felt several hours after the injury is imposed. In any case, you should immediately without further overuse and rest. It is because continuing to exercise can drastically increase your chances of sustaining long-term damage. 

In case of a minor or complex sports injury, you should instantly seek medical intervention. Your healthcare provider will offer a quick response and examine your condition before offering corrective treatments. 

Based on the inputs of your healthcare provider, you may also use the traditional P.R.I.C.E. method to alleviate the symptoms of sports injuries. 

The treatment of each injury varies as it depends upon the type of injury, affected area, severity of symptoms and the patient’s overall health. Listed below are some common procedures and interventions used as sports injury treatment:

Clinical history and physical examination – Your sports medicine specialist will take your medical history and order a few diagnostic and screening tests such as X-ray and musculoskeletal ultrasound to visualise and examine your injury. The type of tests ordered vary depending on the type of injury. 

Medicinal treatment – In cases of minor injuries such as strains and sprains, your healthcare provider may administer anti-inflammatory medications to relieve symptoms and treat the condition. 

P.R.I.C.E. method – P.R.I.C.E. stands for Protect, Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. This method is useful for treating mild sports injury and reduces swelling and pain. 

Immbolisation – In case of stress fractures, your broken bone will be treated by fixing and immobilising it with the use of a ceramic cast or splint. 

Surgery – For complex sports injuries such as knee injuries, orthopaedic surgeons may recommend surgical interventions. There are several different types of surgeries done to treat sports injuries. For instance, ACL injury treatment is offered through knee arthroscopy. 

Physiotherapy – Physiotherapy, rehabilitation and occupational therapy exercises are often recommended for most sports injuries to restore strength and avoid long-term impacts. 

Sometimes, a combination of different lines of treatments is used for effective recovery. Please note that your treatment journey will completely depend upon your injury, extremity of symptoms and other factors.