Rectangular exercise, hobby sports are important to keep you active and healthy. Sports is not just a physical activity, but it is highly beneficial for mental and emotional health. However, there is always the risk of injuries. Common and minor injuries we treat at home with rest and simple strategies. We seek medical assistance if pain, swelling, bruising doesn’t get better with home remedies.
Sports injuries are common, it can occur to bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments and other structures. You can treat many minor injuries at home with RICE method that is Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation and over-the-counter pain medications like Zeno pain. But severe injuries require medical treatment, such as immobilization, physical therapy and surgery.
What are common sports injuries?
Exercise/ hobby sports are important to good health, but people often get hurt when they start physical activity or sports. If you are away from sports for a longtime or starting a new sport, if you are starting physical activity or a sports hobby at a later age there is a definite chance of body pain, body parts pain and injuries.
A sports injury involves damage to body parts due to sports, exercise or athletic activities. A sports injury can be minor, acute or chronic.
Sports injuries can happen to anyone, particularly people who are overweight, don’t take proper protective equipment, working out suddenly without warming up and cooling down, starting a hobby sport at a later age, activities that involve jumping, running and pivoting or changing direction quickly.
What are the most common parts of the body injured?
Sports injuries can happen to any part of your body. They most often affect:
Calcaneal /Achilles tendon: The Achilles tendon is a band of tissues that connects your calf to your heel. It aids in your walking. The tendon, becomes swollen, inflamed, and stiff. It even leads to tearing. The rupture is called as Achilles tendinitis or Achilles tendon rupture to describe this condition.
Ankle: Your leg and foot join at your ankle. It has three joints, as well as several bones, cartilage, ligaments, muscles and tendons. Ankle pain is caused by a sprained ankle.
Elbow: Your elbow is the like a hinge between your upper and lower arm. People often experience pain in their elbow from repetitive motions and overdone activities.
Head: Your head involves your face, skull and brain. Everyone is scared of head injury as it can be fatal or serious. Face includes eyes, nose, ears and the whole face. Some marks stays lifelong. One of the common head injuries is concussion.
Knee: Your knee is a hinge between your thigh and lower leg. It's a complex system. The knee contains bones, cartilage, ligaments and tendons. Knee pain can be caused by jumper’s knee or runner’s knee, meniscus tear and anterior cruciate ligament tear.
Shoulder: Your shoulder is the connection between upper arm and the trunk of your body. It contains a rotator cuff, a group of muscles and tendons that keep the upper arm in your shoulder socket. Rotator cuff tendinitis and rotator cuff tears are common sports injuries seen among sports people.
Most common sports injuries
There are many types of sports injuries. Some of the most common are:
Sprains: When a ligament is stretched or torn, it results in a sprain.
A ligament is a fibrous, rope-like band of tissue that connects two or more bones at a joint. When you sprain your ankle, you may injure one or more ligaments.
Strains: A strain occurs when you overextend a muscle and it stretches or tears. Examples include hamstring strain, back strain and abdominal strain.
Broken bone: A broken bone can happen when sudden force is applied to a bone.
Cartilage tear: Cartilage injuries can occur in joints such as your knee and shoulder.
Dislocation:Dislocation occurs when the end of a bone moves out of its place in a joint. Example, shoulder dislocation.
Concussion: A concussion is a sudden brain injury that affects the brain internally and externally. Concussion affects the brain function.
Tendinitis: Its an inflammation, occurs when your tissues that connect muscles to bones/tendons become swollen and inflamed.
A pain relief gel is always recommended by sport physiotherapists, coaches and trainers to carry along. These pain gels are available over the counter. The topical application makes it convenient and comfortable.
Zenopain is non-sticky, non-staining pain relieving gel. The sesame oil and linseed oil properties penetrates deep and heal. The mild fragrance and non-stickiness make Zenopain a favourite among sports people.
What causes sports injuries?
Sports injuries have many causes, including Accidents, wrong habits with exercise, Lack of safety equipment, or gear, wrong type of shoes, sudden start to an exercise program or significant increase in lifting weights, a sport after a long gap.
The symptoms of a sports injury depend on the incidence and type of injury. Common symptoms include:
Pain or tenderness
Bruising, swelling
Deformity
Decreased range of motion
Grinding, cracking noise
Difficulty or Inability to bear weight on your hip, leg or foot
Stiffness or weakness
Trouble moving a body part normally
Treatment for sports injuries varies depending on its type and severity. Many sports injuries heal in a few days or weeks with rest and at-home strategies while some need medical attention.
If you get injured during physical activity, take a break from playing or exercising. You can cause more harm if you continue. As you start to feel better, you can start slowly. Make sure you are able to move without pain or stiffness. And this time don’t forget to carry your pain gel along.
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