Docyard | Learn and play safe sport

DR Biren Nadkarni is Sr Consultant Orthopedic and Joint Replacement Surgeon at Sitaram Bhartia Institute

Sports injuries occur during exercise or while participating in a sport. Children are particularly at risk for these types of injuries, but adults can get them, too. Sports injuries are very common and most of these injuries are caused by overuse of our muscles and joint or when greater pressure than that can normally be applied to a joint or muscle is exerted. You’re at risk for sports injuries if you:

Haven’t been regularly active

Don’t warm up properly before exercise

Play contact sports

Common sports injuries:

Ankle sprains. Overstretching or tearing the ligaments results in a sprain. Ligaments are pieces of tissue that connect two bones to one another in a joint.

• Muscle pull: Muscle pulls are very common and can happen to any athlete. Small tears occur that lead to a strain when a muscle is stretched too far or exceeds its tensile load. Inadequate warm-up exercises, muscle fatigue, lack of flexibility, and muscle weakness can cause all kinds of athletes to pull a muscle.
• Lower Back Pain: Usually lower-back-pain affects runners, cyclists, golfers, tennis, and baseball players. Bulging discs, back spasms, stress fractures sciatica are some types of lower-back pain. Improper training techniques, weakness (especially of the core muscles), and poor preparation are the most common reason for sports-related back pain.
• Shin splints: It is mostly caused by inflammation of the muscles and their attachments to the shin bone (Tibia); it causes aching or stabbing pain on the insides of the lower leg. It mainly occurs in runners when the muscles around the tibia become inflamed.
• Tennis Elbow: One develops a tennis elbow when the forearm is overused by repetitive movements in sports like Tennis, Golf, and Badminton. These are the muscles that pull the wrist back. The tendons of the foreman that insert into the side of the elbow region tend to inflame that results in acute pain.
• Groin Strain: It results from putting too much strain on the groin and thigh muscles. Athletes are more at the risk of a groin strain in sports like soccer, hockey, basketball, volleyball, and even racket sports, as it is usually caused by sudden movements like twisting while running or jumping; the muscles situated in the upper thigh area that serve to pull the legs together tend to get strained.
• ACL injuries: The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) holds the leg bone to the knee. It is the most common knee injury. Sudden cuts or stops or getting hit from the side can strain or tear the ACL. 

Prevention

The immediate treatment to most of these injuries is by following the RICE protocol – Rest, Ice and Compression, and Elevation. One must seek the advice of an orthopedic doctor for further treatment and rehabilitation. For best results, follow the RICE method within the first 24 to 36 hours after the injury. It can help reduce swelling and prevent additional pain and bruising in the early days after a sports injury. While the recovery period of some injuries may span from a few days to weeks, other injuries like a meniscal tear, cruciate ligament tear, or focal cartilage defects may require surgical treatment.

• Use the proper technique: Learn the proper way to move during your sport or activity. Different types of exercise require different stances and postures.
• Have the proper equipment: Wear the right shoes. Make sure you have the proper athletic protection.
• Don’t overdo it: The precaution is that don’t overdo anything be it sports or exercise. If you do get hurt, make sure you’re healed before you start the activity again.
• Resume activity slowly: Don’t be tempted to nurse your injury for too long. Excessive rest may delay healing. After the initial 48-hour period of RICE, you can start using heat to help relax tight muscles. Take things slowly, and ease back into exercise or your sport of choice.