What are Sports Injuries?
No matter how good and skilled you are at a sport, people often get injured while playing. A sports injury involves damage to a part of the body while playing the sport. The injury could be sudden (acute) or develop over a period of time (chronic).
Who is more prone to Sport Injuries?
Sports injuries can happen to anyone but particularly to those who
1. Don’t wear proper protective equipment
2. Play without warming up or cool down
3. Have had a previous injury and not had complete recovery
4. Wearing ill-fitted shoes
5. Playing after a long when your body isn’t used to regular physical activity
Most common sports injuries
The most common injuries affect the knee, ankle, shoulder, elbow, and head.
The common types of sports injuries are:
1. Muscle Strains
2. Ligament Sprains
3. Cartilage Tears
4. Concussions
5. Fractures
6. Dislocations
How do you know you’re injured?
So how do you know you’ve injured yourself? Look out for the following signs & symptoms:
1. Pain
2. Swelling
3. Tenderness on touch
4. Bone deformity
5. Warm skin
6. Sudden weakness
7. Trouble moving the joint
8. Popping or crack sounds while moving the joint
9. Inability to put weight on the joint while moving
What do we have to do during any sports injuries?
The next best thing is to get the injured joint evaluated. As a sports enthusiast myself, I’ve observed that players continue to play even with injuries, thinking that the game is currently more important and that the injury can be taken care of later.
Well, that can be a great sportsmanship attitude however, one should respect the signs and symptoms which indicate that something is internally wrong and could lead to further severe complications or could hamper their games in the future.
Pain is inevitable but suffering is optional!
How does physiotherapy help during any sports injuries?
Now here is how Physiotherapy can help post any sports injuries. A proper assessment is done to understand how it happened and also to know about the possible damaged structures. Further investigations such as X-rays or MRI can be asked for in case the severity of the injury is high.
The on-field physiotherapist will quickly secure the affected joint and follow it with ice, compression, or apply a spray for instant and temporary relief.
Further treatment of the injury would require rest, pain management techniques, tapping, splinting the joint, and using modalities like IFT/ultrasound which can be used for recovery along with strengthening exercises, stability exercises, and stretching exercises given by the physiotherapist to help the player back in action. Also, remember that google is not a doctor, so it's better to get help from professionals.
However, taking a proper assessment of any sports injuries of players by the physiotherapist proves to be better before their game to prevent such injuries in the future. This would help them to strengthen the weak muscles and unstable structures, as sports is not only about skill but agility and flexibility as well.
Last but not least, a proper warm-up and cool-down period and good hydration are key for a perfect game to unwind and enjoy oneself while playing and having a great time.
Conclusion
Sports injuries are common occurrences in athletes, affecting areas such as the knee, ankle, shoulder, and head. These injuries can be acute (sudden) or chronic (develop over time) and include muscle strains, ligament sprains, fractures, concussions, and cartilage tears. Risk factors for injury include improper warm-up, lack of protective gear, poor footwear, and previous injuries. Physiotherapy plays a crucial role in treating sports injuries by assessing the damage, providing pain management, and using techniques like ice, compression, ultrasound, and strengthening exercises to promote recovery. A proper rehabilitation plan helps athletes regain strength, flexibility, and prevent future injuries, ensuring a safer return to sports.
Very well written and informative