Sprains, Strains & Sports Injuries

Emergency Conditions / First Aid

Common Sports Injuries

Shoulder joint separation

Rotator cuff tear or Fractured collar bone tendinitis (back side of shoulder)

Tennis elbow (pain on Side stitch (sharp pain the outside of forearm) felt underneath rib cage) Strained finger Low back strain (lower back) Knee injury (to ligament or cartilage) Pulled hamstring Shinsplint Muscle cramp

Stress fracture (microfracture, usually Achilles tendon pain (stretch, in the bones in the feet, ankles, or tear, or irritation to the tendon legs, caused by sudden increase in the that connects the calf muscle to amount of weight bearing exercise) the back of the heel) Plantar fasciitis (irritation of ligaments Blisters (sores from friction) and tissues in the foot arch)

Signs & Symptoms For Sprains A sprain happens when you overstretch or tear a ligament. (This is fibrous tissue that connects bones.) A joint is affected, but there is no dislocation or fracture. Symptoms are rapid pain, swelling, bruising, and a warm feeling at the injured site.

For Strains A strain is an injury to the muscles or tendons. (These are tissues that connect muscles to bones.) Symptoms are pain, tenderness, swelling, and bruising.

Sprains, Strains & Sports Injuries, Continued

For Sports Injuries Are any of these signs present? Sports injury symptoms depend on the injury. • A bone sticks out or bones in the They include pain, tenderness, swelling, and injured part make a grating sound. bruising. Bones may be broken or dislocated. (See • An injured body part looks bent, Common Sports Injuries on previous page.) shortened, or misshaped. • You can’t move the injured body part {Note: See Causes or put weight on it. First Aid • The injured area is blue, pale, or feels section in Sprains occur cool, but the same limb on the other Broken from an Bones/ side of the body does not. accident, injury, Dislocations fall, etc. A strain at www. HealthyLearn occurs when you Are any of these signs present? .com.} overstretch or • You can’t bend or straighten an overexert a injured limb. muscle or An ankle sprain can cause • Bad pain and swelling occur or the tendon (not a strain on the achilles tendon. pain gets worse. ligament). This • Pain is felt when you press along the is usually due to overuse and injuries, such as bone near the injury. sports injuries. Does the sprain or strain not improve Questions to Ask after using self-care for 2 days? Do you suspect a head, neck, or spinal injury by any of these symptoms? • Loss of consciousness. • Paralysis. The head, neck, or back can’t move. Self-Care / First Aid • Inability to open and close the fingers or move the toes or any part n If the injury is not serious, stop what you are of the arms and legs. doing and use R.I.C.E. (See at www.HealthyLearn.com.) • Feelings of numbness in the legs, {Note: See arms, shoulders, or any body part. First Aid n If you sprained a finger or hand, remove • It looks like the head, neck, or back section in rings. (If you don’t and your fingers swell up, is in an odd position. Head/ the rings may have to be cut off.) Neck/ Spine • Neck pain is felt right away. Injuries at n Take an over-the-counter medicine for pain, if www. needed. { Note: Many sports medicine Healthy Flowchart continued in next column Learn.com.} providers do not recommend aspirin-like medicine at first, because it can make bleeding and bruising worse.} Emergency Conditions / First Aid

Sprains, Strains & Sports Injuries, Continued

Treatment n Try liniments and balms. These give a cooling or warming sensation by masking the pain. They do not promote healing. Treatment for sprains, n strains, and sports injuries Once the injury begins to heal, use M.S.A.: depends on the injury and • Movement. Work toward a full range of motion as soon as on the extent of damage. possible. This will help maintain flexibility during healing and Self-care may be all that is prevent any scar tissue from limiting future performance. needed for mild injuries. • Strength. Gradually strengthen the injured area once the swelling Sports injuries and sprains is controlled and a range of motion is back. may need medical • Alternative Activities. Do regular exercises that do not strain the treatment. Some sprains injured part. Start this a few days after the injury, even though the need a cast. Others may injured part is still healing. need surgery if the tissue affected is torn. Prevention Broken bones (other than To Prevent Serious Injuries (especially during contact sports) broken toes) need medical n Wear the right protective gear and clothing for the sport (e.g., a care right away. helmet; shoulder, knee, and wrist pads; a mouth guard, etc.). n Train in the sport so you learn how to avoid injury. “Weekend athletes” are prone to injury. Follow the rules that apply to the sport.

General Prevention n Ease into any exercise program. Build up gradually. n Avoid running on hard surfaces like asphalt and concrete. Run on flat surfaces. Running Get more uphill puts added stress on the achilles tendon. information n Don’t lock your knees. When you jump, land from: with your knees bent. ® HealthyLearn n Wear shoes and socks that fit well. The widest www.HealthyLearn.com area of your foot should match the widest area National Institute of of the shoe. You should be able to wiggle your Arthritis and toes with the shoe on when you sit and when Do warm-up exercises before the activity. Musculoskeletal and Skin you stand. Wear shoes that provide shock Diseases (NIAMS) absorption and stability. www.nih.gov/niams n Stop if you feel pain. Don’t do the activity until you can do it without pain. n Cool down after exercise. Do the activity at a slower pace for 5 minutes.