Sports injuries
Sports injuries today, are not just limited to professional athletes or children who participate in school sports programs. Today, a large number of people of both sexes and all ages are regularly participating in sports and fitness activities. There are women playing traditionally men’s sports such as soccer, basketball, and kick-boxing. The vast majority of both sexes play golf, tennis, basketball, and/or participate in aerobic activities like running. Regrettably, risk of injury is always a possibility with any sports activity.
Nearly all of injuries generally fit into two groups:
1) traumatic injury, such as a slip, fall, or collision
2) repetitive stress or overuse injury.
Traumatic Injuries
These injuries create the debilitating problems often associated with trauma. A high percentage of traumatic injuries are to the ligaments, the tissue that connects bone to bone, and to body muscles. Fractures and dislocations do happen at times, in particular, with contact sports. Damage to a ligament is called a sprain, while trauma to a muscle or its tendon is a strain. The most frequent places for these types of injuries are the ankles, knees, and shoulders, nevertheless other areas can be affected including the low back and neck. Because the spinal cord and/or spinal nerves can be harmed, injury to the neck and low back can be extremely serious.
Traumatic injuries can vary from a mild “muscle pull” or ankle twist to a serious problem requiring surgery. It all depends upon the degree of tearing of the tissues, the location, and the age of the person. Some degree of swelling takes place with most sprains and strains. But, with certain injuries, particularly those of the ankle and knee, there can be some internal bleeding as well. Strains and sprains demand appropriate attention, especially during the initial stages of an injury, to insure correct healing and avoid future disability.
Overuse or Repetitive Strain Injuries
These injuries are becoming more prevalent, especially among individuals playing golf, tennis, bowling, and any other activity that necessitates the same movement over and over (repetitively). An activity as un-complex and healthy as running, especially on a treadmill, can also be a factor.
Repetitious activity can frequently create a very slight strain to tissues, expressly tendons and muscles. But, it is the accumulative effects of the repetition that causes the more serious problem. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is one of the most common types of overuse injuries. Over time, the muscle or other affected tissue develops changes, that no longer allow it to function correctly, resulting in pain, stiffness and disability. Certain factors predispose a person to these sorts of injury.
Symptoms
These are varied from tears within the muscle, puffiness, swelling, acute pain, muscle cramps, inflammation to achiness in any part of the body to seizures in a head incident.
If you’ve been injured, it is crucial to seek out an experienced professional, like a chiropractor, to diagnose the nature of the injury and design a plan of care. If left untreated, an injury will not only prohibit someone from participating in a favourite activity, but can significantly affect someone’s life in general. Treatment such as joint manipulation, massage, bracing, and specific exercises is often required to stabilize the condition. A chiropractor is your best source of help. (each treatment is subject to an intensive Chiropractic examination ).