Types of Sports Injuries and How to Protect Yourself From Possible Risks

0
982
Types of Sports Injuries

Everyone has a unique bone structure with a few weak points that make you susceptible to injuries. Typical predisposing injury factors to your hips, legs, knees and ankles include knee alignment, cavus foot (overly high arches), uneven leg length and severe pronation (flat feet). Glen Rock sports medicine experts Kevin McElroy, DO, and Steven Ferrer, MD and their staff at New Jersey Sports and Pain Medicine provide comprehensive care for sports-related injuries, helping their patients heal faster. In this article, you will get to know the types of sports injuries and how to protect yourself from possible risks.

What are the typical forms of sports injuries you are likely to experience?

Various sports injuries result in different complications and symptoms. The standard sport injuries types include:

  •         Strains
  •         Sprains
  •         Fractures
  •         Knee injury
  •         Swollen muscles
  •         Dislocations
  •         Rotator cuff injury
  •         Achilles tendon rupture

How can you prevent sports injuries?

Before participating in any sports activity, you should warm-up and stretch properly. While cold muscles are susceptible to tears, warm muscles are flexible and absorb quick movements, making injuries less likely. Other steps you could adopt to minimize risks include:

  • Learn the proper techniques. Different exercises need different postures and stances. Learning the proper way to engage your body during physical activity could minimize your injury chances.
  • Gear up with the appropriate equipment. Wearing the right shoes and having the standard athletic protection will prevent unnecessary injuries. Plantar fasciitis is often a problem for athletes that participate in high-impact and high-intensity sports such as running marathons. Protalus has specific inserts for plantar fasciitis that can help alleviate some of the pain.
  • Do not strain your muscles or joints. After an injury, ensure proper healing before you go back to the activity. Additionally, you should slow down after recovery. Avoid resuming the activity with the same intensity before your injury.
  • Resume slowly to your physical activities. Excessive rest delays healing. Avoid the temptation of nursing your injuries for too long. Mild exercises to strengthen your rotator cuff help relax your tight muscles.

What are the possible treatment options for sports injuries?

The rest, compression, ice and elevate is the standard regimen your doctor will recommend, especially when you have mild sports injuries. The therapy will help you within the first 36 hours after an injury to minimize swelling and prevent you from experiencing additional pain. Your injuries will need a closer look and advanced treatment when you start having symptoms like:

  •         Joint weakness
  •         Inability to exert weight on the affected joint
  •         Popping sound on the joint when you attempt to use it
  •         Severe pain and swelling
  •         Instability
  •         Visible bumps, lumps and other deformities

Treatments for sports injuries are unique and personalized. Your doctor will devise a plan depending on the type and severity of your injury. The care provider might recommend physiotherapy to help rehabilitate your affected parts. If possible, the physician will suggest other exercises to enhance flexibility and strength.

After an initial rest period, your doctor will evaluate your injury and recommend additional treatment. Treatment options for sports injuries include:

  •         Pain medication
  •         Immobilization
  •         Pain injections
  •         Physical therapy
  •         Surgery

Exercising a tendon injury without contacting your doctor for special care could result in permanent changes. In a worse possible case, you will experience constant pain that does not improve with rest. Additionally, the affected body part could become weak permanently.  

Sports injuries are common with athletes and contacting a specialist for every ache might not be necessary. However, if your symptoms fail to improve with conventional treatments or worsen with time, schedule an appointment with your doctor immediately.