Playing sports or doing some physical exercises can be beneficial to your body. However, they can also put yourself at risk, especially if you’re not physically active and don’t usually warm up before doing your routines. With these unfortunate circumstances, you might sustain sports injuries along the way
Primarily, sports injuries are injuries that occur when doing sports or exercising. They are commonly caused by improper technique, overuse, application of great force, and direct impact. As such, these injuries shouldn’t be taken for granted because leaving them untreated might have severe or life-threatening consequences. If possible, learn how to prevent a sports injury to save yourself from the stress of dealing with one.
On the other hand, below are the common sports injuries to watch out for and how you can treat them:
- Broken Bones
Sometimes described as fractured bones, this type of sports injury occurs when a sudden force is being applied to your bone. When this happens, you might feel some swelling, numbness, pain, and even tenderness around the affected area.
In addition to these symptoms, having a broken bone while engaging in any sports means you might not be able to move the injured part of your body. Fortunately, there’s nothing to worry about because this type of injury is usually not severe and can be treated right away.
When it comes to treatment, you can use braces, splints, and plaster cast, depending on the severity of the fracture. Also, you can put ice on the injured area and compress it to help reduce the swelling. If the injury is severe, you might need to seek the help of a highly trained professional specializing in various treatment options. To help you get started, check this website for more information.
- Muscle Strain
This type of injury is caused by the overstretching and tearing of your muscles located in the shoulder, lower back, groin, quadriceps, and hamstrings. You’ll know you’re suffering from this sports injury when you feel a sudden pain, swelling, and difficulty using your muscles. Just like broken bones, muscle strains can happen when doing any sports or physical activities.
If you’re looking for the best treatments for muscle strain, ice, rest, compression, and some anti-inflammatory drugs can help minimize pain and swelling.
- Shin Splints
If you’re a basketball player or a runner, you might sustain this type of sports injury. Shin splints are caused by the inflammation of the muscles and tendons surrounding your shin. Mainly, the shin is located in the front of your lower leg.
Moreover, you might be struggling with this type of sports injury when you feel pain in the front area of your lower leg while engaging in physical activities. Unlike other injuries, shin splints can heal right away. Some of the conventional treatments include stretching, ice application, and rest. Depending on the severity of the injury, you can also take some anti-inflammatory drugs for pain relief.
- Sprained Ankle
Whether you’re doing your day-to-day activities or playing sports, you’re at risk of sustaining a sprained ankle in the middle of your performance. This type of sports injury occurs when you step on the wrong or an uneven surface, which leads to the twisting or rolling of your foot. When this happens, the ligaments supporting your joints will be overstretched and will cause pain, swelling, and inability to use your ankle.
Luckily, treating this injury isn’t difficult. Just take a good rest, apply ice, compress it, or elevate it to reduce the symptoms. If you’ve sustained severe sprains, taking anti-inflammatory drugs or using a brace or case is highly recommended.
- Dislocation Of Bones
Another type of sports injury to be wary about when engaging in any sports activity is the dislocation of bones. This typically happens when the ends of your bones aren’t in their normal position. If you’re playing contact sports regularly, there’s a high chance that you’ll experience this injury.
Although this sports injury is usually not too serious, you still have to deal with some symptoms, such as swelling, extreme pain, or inability to move or use the injured area. On the other hand, treating dislocated bones vary depending on where the affected area is. For natural treatments, resting, applying ice, and compression can be some of the best options.
However, if your bone doesn’t return to normal using natural treatments, your doctor might suggest repositioning, immobilization, medication, and many more.
- Tennis Elbow
If you’re playing racket sports and the like, you should watch out for tennis elbow because it’s an overuse injury associated with these sports. This specific type of injury, for instance, occurs when the tendons located on the outside of the elbow are inflamed due to tearing. The most common symptoms of tennis elbow might include pain and a weak grip.
Fortunately, treating tennis elbow can be done through natural means. For instance, you can get the most out of rest and anti-inflammatory drugs to help ease the pain. When these treatments have failed, using a special brace or surgery can be the solution.
Conclusion
As you can see, being sporty or physically active comes with injury risks. Your body may sustain the sports injuries mentioned above, depending on the impact, overuse, or force applied.
Therefore, if you want to know what to do when you get yourself injured while engaging in sports or any exercise routine, keep this article in mind, especially the treatments available to these injuries, as well as the associated costs.