When and How to Treat Sports Injuries

When and How to Treat Sports Injuries

Sports injuries range from mild to very serious. Many mild injuries can be cared for at home, while more serious injuries require immediate medical attention. The key is to know the symptoms that would indicate a need for immediate medical care. If you experience:

a deformity,
a large amount of swelling,
extreme pain,
instability or inability to use the injured body part,
severe bruising, or
loss of feeling,

You should contact your doctor immediately.

The most often recommended home remedies for minor sports injuries can be remembered by the word rice or RICE. RICE stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation.

Rest is something you should do at the first warning signs of a sports injury that causes:

excessive muscle fatigue,
a deep tingling sensation, or
a throbbing in one area of the body.

If you experience any of these warning signs, immediately stop using the part of your body you suspect may be injured and rest it. Continued use may cause:

increased pain or more serious injury, and
may delay healing.

It's important as the injury improves to resume cautious use and movement of the injured part to prevent shrinking of muscles and stiffness. It is important for the injured part to be strong and supple before unguarded, full use is allowed.

Ice is a very important component in treating minor sports injuries because it:

helps reduce pain and swelling, and
decreases muscle spasms.

During the first twenty-four to forty-eight hours after the injury occurs, ice packs should be applied and the injured area should be elevated. Ice packs may be discontinued after twenty-four to forty-eight hours, when swelling subsides.

Compression means putting pressure on an injury by wrapping or taping it. This is usually done with an elastic bandage like an ace bandage. Compression offers several benefits:

it prevents additional swelling, and
it provides support to the injured area.

It's extremely important not to wrap or tape an injury too tightly as this can cut off the circulation to the injured area and cause extensive tissue damage. You have wrapped an injury too tightly if you feel:

increasing pain,
tingling,
throbbing in, around, or beyond the wrapped area, or if you have
fingers or toes that are: blue, or cold.

You should pay particular attention to fingers and toes when applying an ace bandage.

You should keep the injury wrapped at all times, even during icing. When using an ice pack, it's usually best to wrap the ice pack in place with a cloth or towel over the wrapped injury, being careful to ensure that there isn't too much pressure placed on the injured area. Do not apply ice directly to the skin.

Elevation means keeping the injured area raised above the heart. An injured area may be elevated by:

propping it up on pillows, or
propping up one end of a bed.

This can and should be done while ice packs and compression are being applied and may be beneficial for as long as there is any swelling.

Besides rest, ice, compression and elevation, there are some other components of home care that are important in caring for minor sports injuries. These include:

using heat after the initial period of swelling is past, probably
in three to six days,
doing exercises geared towards strengthening the injured area,

and taking over-the-counter non-prescription ibuprofen medications like Nuprin or Advil to reduce pain and swelling. For children under age ten, use plain Tylenol.

children and teenagers should not take aspirin as aspirin use in these age groups has been associated with a rare but serious brain and liver disorder called reye's syndrome. Pregnant women should consult their physician prior to taking any over-the-counter medication. Parents of children and persons with medical conditions are advised to read product labels carefully and consult a pharmacist if they have questions about use.

Heat is usually not recommended during the first-aid phase of treatment, which is usually the seventy-two hours following the injury, because heat may increase swelling in the injured area. However, after that period, dry heat from a heating pad may feel good and relax tense muscles that may be causing spasms and soreness. However, it's important to use precautions to avoid burning yourself while using a heating pad, including:

not applying the heating pad directly to the skin for long periods of time, and
not using a heating pad in bed where you might fall asleep without turning it off.

If swelling increases after heat is applied, this may mean the heat treatment was begun too soon.

Because the body repairs torn muscle with scar tissue, many physical therapists and orthopedic surgeons recommend doing stretching exercises during recovery that are geared to strengthen the injured body part. In addition to strengthening the injury and promoting healing, this helps the body develop scar tissue in an orderly fashion. Otherwise, scar tissue is developed in an irregular pattern, which restricts muscle flexibility.

If you've seen a doctor or physical therapist for a sports injury, you should be sure to follow his or her advice on strengthening exercises appropriate for you. If you're recovering from a mild injury that you cared for at home, try mild stretching and strengthening exercises that are comfortable. It's important to remember never to engage in any exercise that causes you pain. If you do experience pain while exercising, stop what you're doing immediately.

Also, if you have a sports injury that is accompanied by:

a deformity,
a large amount of swelling,
extreme pain,
instability or inability to use the injured body part,
severe bruising, or
loss of feeling,

You should see your doctor for an evaluation.