If you have played sports in your life, it is likely that you have suffered several injuries. In fact, sports injuries are something normal, since the body is exposed to a series of movements typical of sport, such as jumps, turns, races….
So, if we consider injuries a fact of life, we must be responsible when it comes to treating sports injuries correctly. We will now talk about the following:
- Contusions
- Dislocations
- Muscle injuries
- Ankle and knee sprains
Injuries due to contusions
First of all, let’s start with the first of the traumas that awaits us all around the corner. A split ball in a random match could be an example of a scenario for this concussion to appear. However, another could well be that of traffic accidents. The severity of a contusion is categorized as follows:
- Minimal or zero degree: they do not pose any risk and do not need to be treated.
- Mild or first degree: there are breaks in capillaries or blood vessels, and red or purple bruises appear. Pain is intense on contact, but disappears after four or five days.
- Moderate or second degree: it is a strong impact that affects major vessels, so it will cause a bruise that will take some time to disappear.
- Severe or third-degree: this causes tissue necrosis, and the affected area will be cold, hard and swollen, and is usually accompanied by occasional damage such as fractures or damage to internal organs.
Dislocation injury
In this case, these are traumas that are caused by a displacement of the joints. As in contusion, a dislocation is classified according to its possible evolution. There are the following types:
- Acute: it occurs after a more or less strong trauma without complications and without previous dislocations.
- Inverted or chronic: when the bone heals there will be no scarring, although this does occur in the soft parts, and not being inside the joint, the bone may take time to return to its original position.
- Recurrent: this joint has already suffered a dislocation, and the soft parts may be injured after it, so the injury may be repeated in similar circumstances or in episodes of lesser intensity.
- Habitual: these are people with some underlying pathology in the joints, such as Marfan’s syndrome.
A dislocation leads to swelling, redness and functional impotence of the joint, apart from pain. Along the same lines, joint deformities are normal.
Muscle injuries
Muscle injuries, such as strains, tears or cramps are common in athletes, and even more common in professional athletes. They do not usually cause complications, but it is necessary to be strict and follow the treatment times. Failure to do so can be the trigger for more serious injuries. Depending on the movement, there are two types of muscle injuries, elongation and shortening.
- Stretching
- Stretching: the muscle is subjected to great tension and tears. It may be due to a blow or an overload.
- Contusion: there is an impact of something on the muscle that upon hitting the bone breaks, producing a hematoma.
- Fibrillar tear: commonly known as fiber rupture, it is caused by very strong trauma or muscle fatigue.
- Total tear: similar to the fibrillar tear, it is more serious. There is a total rupture of the fibers, affecting other parts of the muscle and blood vessels.
- Shortening
- Delayed muscle inflammation: usually referred to as “stiffness”, they usually appear hours after exercise and are a sign that the muscles are tired.
- Contractures: there is an overload of work in a muscle, causing involuntary stiffness of several muscles.
- Cramps: these are involuntary contractions of one or more muscles that cause pain. They are brief, although their full recovery may take some time. It is a sign of extreme fatigue.
To prevent muscle injuries in sports, it is important to warm up before exercising as well as to synchronize the workload with one’s particular physical level, performing the exercises correctly.
Ankle or knee sprain
They are very common injuries in almost any athlete. There are several levels of sprains:
- Strain (grade I). The ligaments have been subjected to an excessive stretching, so that it produces pain, swelling and a limitation in the movement.
- Partial rupture (grade II). There is a not total rupture, reason why it is not necessary to pass by the operating room. The picture is similar to that of a strain, and the treatment is called F.E.R.I. (Cold, elevation, rest and immobilization).
- Total rupture (grade III). This is the most serious, and the chances of surgical intervention are high.
Adequate treatment and follow-up are essential for a sprain to recover completely. Although normal life can be carried out once treatment has been completed, it must be continued. In fact, one of the main reasons why sprains recur is due to improper follow-up.
For more information on common sports injuries, consult with a specialist in Trauma and Orthopedic Surgery.