Every sport you play, whether it’s running or swimming, requires a lot of hard work and dedication. If you’re an athlete, odds are that you have at least one injury every season. Sports injuries can be painful, and they can leave you unable to participate in your favorite activities for a few weeks or even months. There are many different kinds of treatment for injuries in sports—from taking over-the-counter medications to getting surgery if necessary. Regardless of what kind of sports injury you’re suffering from, natural remedies can help provide some relief!
But…Before jumping to the remedial measures, let’s learn about the most common sports injuries.
Types of Injuries in Sports
Anyone involved in sports needs to know about common sports injuries to be able to treat them. These are:
Acute Injuries:
These injuries occur suddenly, especially when you are into heavy sports like football, wrestling, etc. It is mandated to know the first aid procedures to treat these injuries. Always have ice packs, bandages, alcohol wipes, a finger splint, and a breathing barrier to help with CPR.
Chronic Injuries:
Chronic injuries can linger for many years, and you might be able to receive appropriate medical treatment to manage them. For example, if you experience shoulder pain while exercising, you might make an appointment with your healthcare provider or an occupational therapist who specializes in treating upper extremity injuries.
Sports Injury Rehabilitation: 5-Step Process
When you sustain a muscle injury, the first few hours after sustaining the injury may be painful. You may experience swelling and bruising. The initial sharp pain may give way to a throbbing ache. The injured area may also be sensitive to movement and tender to touch. It’s important not to move the injured area too soon, as this can worsen the condition of your muscles or nerves. However, P.R.I.C.E., an acronym used by sports trainers and athletes to remember how to treat a minor muscle injury stands for protection, rest, ice, compression, and elevation. So, let’s dive in to understand what to do immediately, in case of a sudden injury in sports.
Protection
Protect the injured part from further damage. The first step is to stop the activity immediately. This may be hard to do, but it’s important to protect the injured area from further damage. The goal is to minimize the swelling and pain while you let your body heal.
Rest
Resting is an effective way to begin the healing process. Taking a break from your activity can help speed up the healing process for a bruised muscle. When you rest, your body will recognize that it’s not being used and repair itself. Resting helps to heal the tissue and is a very important step in any sports injury treatment.
Ice
Ice the area for 15 minutes every hour. Ice packs are a great way to help reduce inflammation and swelling after an injury like a sprain or sprained ankle, especially if you have a chronic condition such as arthritis or diabetes that makes inflammation worse. Ice packs also help with nerve pain from sprains and strains by reducing nerve irritation and inflammation in those areas of your body that control sensation in your hands and feet (nerves).
Compression
A bandage can help decrease swelling by keeping fluid from collecting around the injury. It may also ease pain and keep an injured area from moving, which helps prevent further injury or damage. Sometimes, bandages aren’t enough to immobilize the injured area entirely; it may feel uncomfortable or tingle, so remove it and rewrap it a little looser. Even gentle compression can help prevent fluid buildup around the injury, so if your bandage causes discomfort or feels tight, loosen it up a bit!
Elevation
To minimize swelling, raise an injury above your heart. If you can’t raise it high enough, try to keep it close to or at the same level as your heart. If you suffered an injury to your buttocks or hips, lie down with a pillow or two wedged under your buttocks and lower back to help lift it.
Key Takeaways
If you have sustained an injury, it is crucial to take steps to help your body heal. You may need to take time off from your regular activities and even stop participating in sports for quite some time. To be able to treat your injuries:
- Understand what factors contributed to the injury and what needs to be done to prevent future injuries
- Explore all available treatment options as some injuries require immediate medical attention while others can wait until later in life
- Take care of yourself by eating right, getting plenty of rest, and avoiding heavy lifting and strenuous exercise until you fully recover.
- Listen to your body and don’t try to push through pain or discomfort. It’s okay to take a few days off from the sport or activity that caused your injury to let your body heal. Once you feel well enough, start doing some light exercise such as walking or swimming
If you experience pain while exercising and it doesn’t go away after a couple of days, talk to a therapist about your injury. Book an appointment with a certified and experienced occupational therapist Heather Mogielnicki, who helps in healing by treating the symptoms that keep coming back, by integrating both science-based therapy and intuitive energy healing.
