Sports Injures- The Basics

22nd December 2006 at 12:24 GMT by Dr C.A.Jenner MB BS, FRCA. Permalink.

Article on the basic principles of sports injuries, including types, causes and treatment

Sports Injuries – The Basics

The term sports injury refers to the various kinds of injuries that occur during sports or exercise. Sport injuries normally occur because of:

• Poor training practices
• Improper equipment
• Lack of conditioning
• Insufficient warm-up

A sports injury is a major setback for any athlete, but with a proper treatment and rehabilitation program, it is possible to regain fitness in a shorter span of time.

It helps to understand the basic structure of the tissues that are commonly damaged in sports and exercises. The elements of this structure include:

• Bone
• Cartilage
• Joints and ligaments
• Synovial joints
• Muscle and tendon

Incidence of Sports Injuries

Over 10 million sports injuries are reported in clinics per year in the US. Interestingly, at times athletes and non-athletes share the same nature of injuries.

For instance, lateral medial epicondylitis, commonly known as tennis elbow can be caused by carrying a suitcase, turning a screwdriver or even opening a stuck door, as well.

Types of Sports Injuries

There are certain areas of the body that are soft targets for sports injuries. Here we list the top 10 areas, along with the main injuries and related disorders:

Foot and Toe Injuries

Turf toe, Bunions, Blisters, Bruised heels, Achilles bursitis, Morton’s syndrome

Ankle injuries

Sprained ankle, Footballer’s ankle, Peroneal tendon disclocation

Lower leg injuries

Achilles tendonitis, Anterior compartment syndrome, Shin splints, Calf strain, Tight calf muscles

Knee injuries

Jumper’s knee, Patella pain syndrome (CMP), Baker’s cyst, Housemaid’s knee

Thigh injuries

Hamstring strain, Groin strain, Gilmore’s groin, Quadriceps strain

Lower back and Buttock Pain

Piriformis syndrome, Sacroiliac joint pain, Sciatica, Muscle strain, Lumbago

Chest and abdominal injuries

Abdominal strain, Hernia, Breast pain, Rib fracture

Shoulder injuries

Rotator cuff injury, Dislocated shoulder, AC joint injury, Winged scapula, Frozen shoulder

Elbow injuries

Tennis elbow, Golfer’s elbow, triceps tendon rupture

Wrist injuries

Wrist bursitis, Carpel tunnel syndrome

Acute and Chronic Injuries

Sports injuries are generally classified in two broad ways, acute and chronic.

Acute injuries are those that occur suddenly during an activity, for instance, sprained ankles, strained back, fractured hand, abrasions and lacerations. The main signs include:

• Sudden, severe pain
• Swelling
• Extreme tenderness in an upper limb
• Extreme limb weakness
• Visible dislocation or break of a bone

Chronic injuries are those that result from overusing a particular area of the body while playing a sport or exercising for a long period. The main signs are:

• Pain while performing an activity
• A dull ache when at rest
• Swelling

Home Care – The RICE approach

The RICE approach is one of the most fundamental forms of self-care for a sports injury. This approach has four elements, namely:

Rest

Reduce or stop using the injured area for at least 48 hours.

Ice

Put an ice pack on the injured part for 20 minutes at a time.

Compression

Compression of the injured part with bandages such as elastic wraps, special boots, air casts and splints helps considerably.

Elevation

The inured area should be kept above the level of the heart.

Other Treatment

Though the RICE approach is a starting point and might help considerably, it often has to be followed up by one or more of the below for adequate relief:

• Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)
• Immobilization
• Surgery
• Rehabilitation