Sports injuries: basics, common injuries and their treatment
Sports injuries have been classically defined as a new or recurring musculoskeletal complaint, or concussion incurred during competition or training, receiving medical attention, regardless of time loss from competition or training.
It has been classified in different ways like Direct/Indirect, Contact/Non- contact sports, Minor/Major. Usually, common sports injuries are mild or moderate. It generally occurs for two different reasons: trauma and overuse.
Traumatic sports injuries are usually obvious and may be due to improper or poor training practices, wearing improper sporting gear, being in poor health condition, improper warm-up or stretching practises before a sporting event or exercise. Overuse injuries are more common nowadays.
Overuse injuries often occur when the body is pushed past its current physical limits or level of conditioning but poor technique and training errors, such as running excessive distances or performing inadequate warm-ups, frequently contribute.
The most common sports injuries are strains and sprains. Sprains are injuries to ligaments, the tough bands connecting bones in a joint. Suddenly stretching ligaments past their limits deforms or tears them. Strains are injuries to muscle fibres or tendons, which anchor muscles to bones. Strains are called “pulled muscles” because over-stretching or overusing a muscle causes tears in the muscle fibres or tendons.
Though biological tissues in the human body are stretchable, they break when stretched beyond a certain limit. Think of ligaments and muscle-tendon units like springs, the tissue lengthens with stress and returns to its normal length — unless it is pulled too far out of its normal range.
Sometimes, avoiding common sports injuries is beyond our control, but many times sports injuries are preventable. People bring a lot of injuries because they are not conditioned for the activity.
Most common injuries & Overuse syndromes
- Sprains and strains
- Joint injuries (Knee injuries (ACL tear), Ankle injuries, shoulder (labral & cuff tears), Back injuries and Neck injuries
- Dislocations & Fractures
- Achilles tendon injuries
- Groin pain
- Knee Patellofemoral Syndrome (an injury resulting from repetitive movement of knee-cap, Sinding-Larsen-Johansson disease, Sever’s disease, Osteochondritis dissecans, Jumper’s knee (patellar tendonitis)
- Muscle injuries, Pulled muscles
- Tennis elbow, Little Leaguers’ elbow or shoulder
- Spondylolysis, Spondylolisthesis
- Hamstring strain
- Shin splints: Pain along the shin bone
You should know that some common sports injuries may take months to heal, even with good treatment. If a sprain or strain is severe, however, the entire muscle, tendon, or ligament is torn away, and surgery may be needed.
Being tough is good but you also need to be smart. If you suspect a serious injury or if you have any of these signs, see a doctor:
- Deformities in the joint or bone — it looks “crooked,” or moves abnormally
- You cannot bear weight or can’t use the limb without it “giving way”
- Excessive swelling
- Changes in skin colour beyond mild bruising
- It’s not getting any better after a few days of PRICE therapy
Treating the most common sports injuries
You can limit swelling and start healing faster at home after most sports injuries by using the RICE principle.
R-Restrict activity: This will prevent worsening of the injury.
I-apply Ice: Use ice for 20 minutes every 1-2 hours for the first 48 hours after the injury. Do not use heat during this time as it encourages swelling and inflammation.
C-apply Compression: Compression with an elastic bandage will help reduce swelling.
E-Elevate the injured area: Elevating the injured area above the heart will also reduce swelling.
Here are some specific tips for treating each of the most common sports injuries:
- Ankle sprain
- Groin pull
- Hamstring strain
Three muscles in the back of the thigh from the hamstring. The hamstring can be over-stretched by movements such as hurdling — kicking the leg out sharply when running. Falling forward while waterskiing is another common cause of hamstring strain.
- Shin splints
Pains down the front of the lower legs are commonly called “shin splints.” They are most often brought on by running — especially when starting a more strenuous training program like long runs on paved roads. If you’re active, you could get them if you make sudden changes like more intense, more frequent, or longer workouts. They often heal on their own. Few call its medial tibial stress syndrome. The cause is stress on your shinbone and the connective tissues that attach muscles to your bones. They get inflamed and painful.
This common problem can result from:
- Flat feet — when the impact of a step makes your foot’s arch collapse (your doctor will call this overpronation)
- Shoes that don’t fit well or provide good support
- Working out without warmup or cooldown stretches
- Weak ankles, hips, or core muscles
You’ll know they’re fully healed when:
- Your injured leg is as flexible as your other leg.
- Your injured leg feels as strong as your other leg.
- You can push hard on spots that used to be painful.
- You can jog, sprint, and jump without pain.
The most important thing is that you don’t rush back into your sport. If you start to work out before your shin heals, you may hurt yourself permanently. Take up a new no-impact activity that won’t aggravate your shin splints while they heal. If you’re a runner, try swimming or an aggressive interval bike program.
- Knee injury: ACL tear
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) holds the leg bone to the knee. Sudden “cuts” or stops or getting hit from the side can strain or tear the ACL. A complete tear can make the dreaded “pop” sound.
If you suspect an ACL injury, then you need to consult an orthopaedic surgeon immediately. ACL tears are potentially the most severe of the common sports injuries. A completely torn ACL will usually require surgery in individuals who wish to remain physically active.
6: Knee injury: Patellofemoral syndrome
It can result from the repetitive movement of your kneecap (patella) against your thigh bone (femur), which can damage the tissue under the kneecap. Running, volleyball and basketball commonly set it off. One knee or both can be affected.
Patience is key. Patellofemoral pain can take up to six weeks to clear up. It’s important to continue low-impact exercise during this time. Working out the quadriceps can also relieve pain.
- Tennis elbow (epicondylitis)
Repetitive use of the elbow — for example, during golf or tennis swings — can irritate or make tiny tears in the elbow’s tendons. Epicondylitis is most common in 30- to 60-year-olds and usually involves the outside of the elbow.
It can usually be cleared up by staying off the tennis court or golf course until the pain improves.