Playing a sport or exercising is good for your health. But you need to remember that you can hurt yourself if you don’t take care of yourself while playing. It could also be accidental sometimes but seeking treatment after an injury is essential. In this article, Dr. Dilip Mehta, a renowned orthopedic doctor in Jaipur, discusses sports injuries.
What is a Sports Injury?
Sports injuries generally occur during exercise or playing a sport. A sports injury could be acute or chronic.
Injuries are widespread in sports. If your injury doesn’t heal properly, it could be very problematic in your future. That’s why it is essential to find an excellent specialist to treat your injuries.
Dr. Dilip Mehta, one of the best orthopedic doctors in Jaipur, has over 15+ years of experience treating sports injuries.
Common Types of Sports Injuries
According to Dr. Mehta, one of the best orthopedic doctors in Jaipur, these are some of the most common types of sports injuries:
- Sprain: A sprain happens when a ligament stretches too much or tears. Ligaments connect your bones and stabilize your joints.
- Strains or pulled muscle: when a muscle stretches too much or tears, strain occurs.
- Broken nose: If a sudden force is applied to your nose, it can fracture it.
- Dislocation: Dislocation occurs if the end of a bone moves out of its general position in a joint.
- Knee injury: Knee injury is one of the most common types of sports injury. In many cases, it can be treated with over-the-counter medications and rest. You should see an orthopedic doctor if it doesn’t heal in a few days.
- Fractures: Fractures are usual among athletes. When a bone breaks, a fracture occurs. It is essential to seek medical help when a fracture happens.
- Tennis Elbow: Tennis elbow is an overuse ailment that can be caused by participating in racquet sports. The tennis elbow is an inflammation of the tendons on the outside of the elbow caused by tiny tears. Tennis elbow produces discomfort and may be coupled with a poor grip.
- Sprained Ankle: A sprained ankle occurs when the ligaments that support the joint become overstretched.
- Concussion: A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that happens when the brain accelerates rapidly inside the skull. A concussion can be caused by a direct impact on the head or body.
Symptoms
According to Dr. Mehta, a renowned orthopedic doctor in Jaipur, the symptoms of different sports injuries differ from injury to injury.
- Pain
- Bruises
- Cracking, popping, or clicking sound
- Weakness
- Warm to touch the skin
- Swelling
- Trouble in moving your body part; you can’t move it as far as before.
Causes
- Accidents like fall
- Not stretching or warming up before exercising
- Using wrong or faulty safety equipment
Diagnosis
Your doctor will perform a physical exam and ask you about your injury and symptoms. This helps them understand more about the injury and what treatment they need to give you.
The doctor will also examine your injury to make a diagnosis. They may also need a physical exam to inspect the injury further. Depending on the injury, you may also need imaging tests like an X-ray, MRI or CT-Scan.
Blood tests may also be performed to look for chemical imbalances or other abnormalities in your body.
Treatment
Treatment of a sports injury depends on factors like the body part that has been affected and the severity of your injury, says Dr. Mehta. Many injuries can heal within a few weeks with at-home care and rest.
The RICE method is a standard sports injury management procedure. It is an abbreviation for:
- Rest: You should rest entirely and not use the injured area for a few days.
- Ice: You can put ice on the injury to help with swelling and pain.
- Compression: Wrap an elastic bandage to support and minimize inflammation around your injured area. Ensure it’s tight but not too tight to hurt or restrict blood flow.
- Elevation: If possible, you should provide support to the injured body part above your heart. It can rest the area and reduce the swelling.
For other serious injuries, the treatment may include:
- Cast, splint, sling, walking boot, or additional medical device immobilization
- Injections to reduce inflammation and pain
- Anti-inflammatory medications
- Physical therapy
Dr. Mehta, one of the best orthopedic doctors in Jaipur, can give you excellent treatment for numerous sports injuries.
What can you do to prevent sports injuries?
According to Dr. Mehta, the following are the precautions you can take to avoid sports injuries:
Warming up and stretching properly are the best ways to avoid sports injuries. Warm muscles are more flexible. They can absorb fast motions, bends, and jerks, reducing the likelihood of harm. Cold muscles are more susceptible to overstretching and tearing.
- Using a proper technique: It would help if you learned how to move appropriately during your activity or sports. Different sorts of exercises necessitate various stances and postures.
- Having proper equipment: Wear the right shoes. Make sure to have the proper athletic protection.
- Please don’t overdo it: If you are injured, make sure you are fully recovered before returning to the activity. When you return after giving your body time to recover, you may need to ease back into the action or sport rather than returning with the same intensity.
- Cool Down: Remember to relax after your workout. Typically, this entails performing the same stretching and activities as a warm-up.
Conclusion:
Sports and exercise are beneficial to your health, although they can frequently result in injuries. You can treat many minor sports injuries d at home using rest and other techniques.
However, if the swelling, pain, bruising, or incapacity to use the damaged area does not improve within a few hours or days, you should seek medical assistance.
