Sport Injuries
What it is
Sports injuries are common among those who exercise regularly - especially
if they are unfit and haven’t warmed up properly. Even seasoned
athlete’s can run into problems however. Of all the sports played,
rugby is the most dangerous when it comes to risk of sports injury.
The Sports Council have previously found there was an average of only
20 consecutive rugby games or training sessions free of significant
injury per player, compared with 76 injury-free sessions for soccer,
313 for badminton and 1,430 for keep-fit activities such as weight
training, running and aerobics. Half the injuries were muscle strains
and ligament sprains. Injuries seem to be fairly evenly distributed
between the arms, ankles, legs, knees and back.
A strain is caused when a muscle is overused or suddenly overstretched
so the muscle fibres pull apart or tear. This is more likely if you
haven’t warmed up before exercise of if your muscles are tense
or fatigued. In severe cases, the muscle may rupture altogether.
A sprain is caused when a ligament - the tough, fibrous tissue that
holds the bones of a joint together - is overstretched or torn. A
sprain usually results in rapid swelling of the involved joint, most
commonly the ankle or knee. In severe cases, the ligament may rupture
altogether.
Strains and sprains usually result from a sudden twisting movement
or fall. Tissue damage causes inflammation and produces symptoms of
pain, tenderness and swelling. Bleeding into the area often results
in bruising. Even mild strains and sprains can result in stiffness
and reduced mobility unless they are treated promptly to minimise
inflammation and swelling and hasten healing.
Self help measures:
To treat minor strains and sprains, just remember RICE:
Rest - minor injuries can usually be exercised within
the limits of pain. You may need to rest for 24 hours to prevent further
damage. Once the pain has subsided, you can usually start to exercise
gently.
Ice: Apply an ice-pack (eg bag of frozen peas wrapped
in a clean cloth) to the sprain or strain as quickly as possible to
reduce bruising and swelling. Don’t place ice directly on the
skin as this can cause a cold burn. An ice-pack should only be applied
for up to 10 minutes at time - remove for a few minutes before re-applying
again if necessary.
Compression - apply a tubular compression support
to minimise swelling when joints such as the ankle or knee are injured.
These are available from pharmacies.
Elevate: If possible and practical, elevate the injured
part to help reduce swelling eg prop up a twisted ankle on a chair
(with a cushion placed under the heel rather than your calf) or wear
a sling to elevate an injured wrist to shoulder level.
Applying magnetic patches
Gently feel over the sprained or strained area, and apply magnetic
patches over any pressure sensitive/tender or swollen spots.
Magnetic patches can also be applied to acupuncture points over or
near the site of pain, as shown in the following illustrations. Select
the points which most closely relate to the site of discomfort.
