Sports injury

Tackles like this one in Women's Australian rules football can cause injuries.

Sports injuries are injuries that are caused by participation in a sporting event. In many cases, these types of injuries are due to overuse of a part of the body when participating in a certain activity. For example, runner's knee is a painful condition generally associated with running, while tennis elbow is a form a repetitive stress injury at the elbow, although it does often occur with tennis players.

Injuries are a common occurrence in professional sports and most teams have a staff of therapists and close connections to the medical community. Controversy has arisen at times when teams have made decisions that could threaten a players long-term health for short term gain.

Sports Injuries Treatment

Sports injuries can be broadly classified as either traumatic injuries or overuse injuries. Traumatic injuries account for most injuries in contact sports such as American football, rugby, Australian rules football, Gaelic football and soccer because of the dynamic and high collision nature of these sports. These injuries range from bruises and muscle strains, to fractures and head injuries.

A bruise or contusion is damage to small blood vessels which causes bleeding within the tissues. A muscle strain is a small tear of muscle fibres and a ligament sprain is a small tear of ligament tissue. The body’s response to these sports injuries is the same in the initial five day period immediately following the traumatic incident - inflammation.

All of these traumatic injuries cause damage to the cells that make up the soft tissues. The dead and damaged cells release chemicals, which initiate an inflammatory response. Small blood vessels are damaged and opened up, producing bleeding within the tissue. In the body’s normal reaction, a small blood clot is formed in order to stop this bleeding and from this clot special cells (called fibroblasts) begin the healing process by laying down scar tissue.

The inflammatory stage is therefore the first phase of healing. However, too much of an inflammatory response in the early stage can mean that the healing process takes longer and a return to activity is delayed. The sports injury treatments are intended to minimise the inflammatory phase of an injury, so that the overall healing process is accelerated.

Inflammation is characterised by pain, localised swelling, heat, redness and a loss of function. The inflammatory stage typically lasts around 5 days and all treatment during this time is designed to address the cardinal signs of inflammation – pain, swelling, redness, heat and a loss of function.

Early treatment of sports injuries

All sports injuries should be assessed and treated under the supervision of a fully qualified healthcare professional such as a doctor or physiotherapist. During the early stage following a sports injury the principles of treatment are the same for most injuries. They are given the acronym PRICE and are:

• Protection

The injured tissues should be protected from further damage. A removable plastic cast is ideal for foot injuries and ankle injuries. It provides the same protection as a plaster cast but it is lightweight and can be removed by the patient. All English Premier League football players use removable plastic casts when they suffer a significant ankle and foot injuries. In the case of more severe injuries crutches should also be used.

• Rest

Rest from sports is essential, but even walking on a sports injury may cause further damage and should be avoided if it is painful. Pain relieving medication prescribed by a doctor may also be necessary.

• Ice

Ice packs can be applied by your healthcare professional for periods of twenty minutes every couple of hours (never apply ice directly to the skin as it can cause an ice burn). The ice packs relieve pain and are thought to reduce bleeding in the damaged tissue. A Cryocuff is the most effective method of providing ice therapy and is the professional’s choice for foot and ankle injuries, knee injuries, shoulder injuries, and wrist and hand injuries. It can provide continuous ice cold water and compression for 6 hours – and significantly reduce pain and swelling. A great substitute for a Cryocuff is the combination of an Ace bandage wrap for pressure plus a large towel folded in half the long way used to snugly wrap a foot or knee with loose ice bags, plus elevation. Re snug after 15 minutes when the ice shapes to the limb.

• Compression

A swollen ankle or swollen knee is a sign of a significant sports injury. The swelling may be caused by bleeding in the joint or inflammation of the joint. If this swelling is allowed to consolidate it can produce excessive scar tissue which seriously lengthens the rehab period. Compression during the early stages helps to resolve swelling and is essential for a good outcome. Compression is provided for the ankle by the use of a removable plastic cast which has inflatable air cells to massage out swelling; together with intermittent use of an Ankle Cryocuff to provide ice and compression. For a knee injury a knee brace can provide compression and support. A Knee Cryocuff can provide continuous ice therapy and compression, which is excellent for the treatment of knee pain and knee swelling.

• Elevation

If the injury is not elevated then excessive swelling can accumulate and cause a delay with rehabilitation. This is particularly true in knee injuries and ankle injuries. If the ankle is not elevated the effect of gravity causes the tissue fluid to accumulate around the ankle and foot. This can cause increased tissue pressure which is extremely painful. To relieve ankle pain and prevent excessive ankle swelling, the ankle should be kept elevated above waist height.

These principles of treatment will be adapted by the healthcare professional who is treating your injury, depending on the exact injury that you have sustained. Your doctor or physiotherapist will also give you advice to follow at home, such as which position to rest in and which specific movements to avoid.

External links

• Sports Injury Info
• Videos on Prevention and Management of Sports Injuries