Sports Injuries

3 Common Injuries from Sport

Its no secret sport is physically and mentally demanding for anyone ranging from casual participants to full time athletes. The human body is not invincible and when pushing the limits, it can be prone to a multitude of injuries. Always remember to stretch and warm-up where necessary before playing sports to lower chances of preventable injuries occurring. Here are 3 extremely common injuries from sport and how they can be treated.

Ankle Sprain

An ankle sprain occurs when the ligaments in your ankle tear or are severely stretched. This may be from landing on your foot on an obscure angle. Ankle sprains commonly occur in sports that require frequent jumping and high chances of stepping on players feet. This includes
  • basketball
  • volleyball
  • soccer

Symptoms

  • Tenderness to the touch
  • Swelling
  • Bruising
  • Itching
  • Cold or numb feet
  • Stiffness

What to do

Ankle sprains tend to heal on their own from 2-10 weeks. Make sure to rest and use ice an ice pack for relief. If symptoms remain and it you feel or hear clicking when moving your ankle, its a good idea to see a doctor for further treatment. 

Shin Splints

Shin splints are a common over-use injury that occur when your shins ache and throb after a daily run or sprinting for a short amount of time. They can be caused by
  • Irritated and swollen muscles
  • Stress fractures in lower leg bones
  • Overpronation or ''flat feet"
  • Weak stabilising muscles in the hips or core
  • Poor lumbar spine function
What to do 
Shin splints also heal over time but can return frequently if not attended to properly. It is a good idea to see a doctor to possibly get x-rays to determine what may be the primary cause. Here are some treatment tips
  1. Rest your body. It needs time to heal.
  2. Ice your shin to ease pain and swelling. Do it for 20-30 minutes every 3 to 4 hours for 2 to 3 days
  3. Take anti-inflammatory painkillers. ibuprofen, naproxen, or aspirin, to help with pain and swelling
  4. Use orthotics for your shoes. Shoe inserts which can be custom-made or bought off the shelf -- may help with arches that collapse or flatten when you stand up.
  5. Use a neoprene sleeve to support and warm your leg.
  6. Go to physical therapy to identify and treat issues in your back or legs or running mechanics that may be causing shin splints. A therapist can also help ease the pain and guide your return to sport.

Tennis Elbow

Tennis elbow, known as epicondylitis, is a repetitive stress injury that obviously very commonly occurs in tennis. The tendons in your forearm that connect to your elbow can get tears when hitting the ball over and over, especially with a bad form. Other activities that can cause this beside tennis include
  • Tree-cutting (repetitive use of a chain saw)
  • Painting
  • Carpentry
  • Playing some types of musical instruments
Symptoms

An ache on the outside of your elbow which can turn into a chronic pain. Sometimes it can become difficult to grip objects or pick up things. 

What to do 
  • See a doctor. They may get an MRI scan for you and determine the severity
  • Exercise and physical therapy
  • Painkillers

By Myles Waller

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