How to Handle Common Sports Injuries Like a Pro
Injuries are an unfortunate—and often unavoidable—reality for footballers. We’ve seen some bizarre and horrific injuries on the pitch over the years. Spurs defender Gary Mabbutt almost lost an eye after an elbow to the face, and Coventry City’s David Busst faced possible amputation after his fibula sustained extensive fractures in a match against Man U.
Fortunately, not all injuries are this severe. But there are several common ones that even footballers who play a game every now and again for fun need to know how to deal with.
Even if an injury seems minor, it’s important to treat it correctly to ensure that you don’t do further damage or weaken the area and make it vulnerable in the future. We’ve compiled a list of the most common injuries and how to go about handling them for the best results.
Sprains
A recent sprained ankle put Neymar out for the rest of the season. This highlights how many footballers suffer from sprains, which are torn muscles or ligaments. They often affect the knee, wrist, thumb, or ankle. The RICE method is a common approach when it comes to treating sports injuries, especially sprains.
RICE stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation.
- Rest
Immediately halt your activity to avoid causing further harm. Avoid placing any weight on the affected area. If you have sprained an ankle, limit your walking for a day or two. Resting will allow your body to dedicate its energy to healing your injury quicker.
- Ice
Apply ice to the injury every fifteen minutes or so. Do this throughout the day to reduce pain, inflammation, and swelling. Apply the ice or ice pack through a thin cloth and gently press it on the affected area.
- Compression
Compression involves applying pressure by wrapping the injured body part up using a bandage or compression wrap. This helps to reduce swelling. Ensure light pressure is applied, but the compression is not too tight as this can affect circulation.
- Elevation
Elevation also helps to reduce swelling in the sprained area. Raise the injured body part above the level of your heart with a pillow or cushion while you are sitting or lying down.
Broken Bones
A broken bone, also referred to as a bone fracture, is a serious injury that might require surgery. In some cases, a cast or brace might be sufficient in repairing the bone. This depends on the severity of the injury and where it’s located. A bone may also be bruised instead of broken. Regardless of the type of bone injury, you should seek a professional’s diagnosis and treatment.
You should consider whether your fracture could have been caused by an underlying issue, such as osteoporosis, if you meet the criteria for certain risk factors. These include age, sex, and weight.
Dislocation
Dislocation of the shoulder is common, especially in contact sports. Refrain from trying to pop the shoulder back in place, as this may cause further harm. A medical professional will have to do this for you.
Dislocation can also occur in the ankles, knees, hips, elbows, jaw, and finger and toe joints. In the event of any kind of dislocation, avoid moving the injured area. You can fashion a sling in order to keep the joint as immobile as possible. Icing the affected area will alleviate pain and prevent inflammation.
Shin Splints
Shin splints refers to pain along the shinbone (tibia). You may also notice tenderness and swelling in this region. This injury is especially common in athletes with an intensive, high-impact training program. Risk factors for this injury include wearing improper or ill-fitted footwear and having flat feet.
If you suspect you might have shin splints, get a diagnosis from your doctor to rule out any other shin-related conditions, such as tendinitis or stress fractures. A doctor may suggest addressing this issue with orthotics. Shoe inserts can help to reduce stress on the lower leg region by properly aligning your feet and supporting your foot arches.
Another remedy is resting and reducing the impact of your training regiment. You shouldn’t continue your sport or exercise if you’re experiencing pain. But in most cases, you can slowly return to lower-intensity training for shorter periods. You can also ice and compress the injury to alleviate swelling. In addition, you can take anti-inflammatory medications, which should also deal with the pain.
Concussions
A concussion is caused by a blow to the head and is classified as a type of traumatic brain injury. If you suspect you have a concussion, seek treatment immediately. While a single concussion isn’t life threatening and is classified as a ‘mild’ injury, sustaining multiple concussions can lead to permanent damage.
The best course of action in the case of a concussion is to follow the advice of someone who’s done first aid training or is a medical professional. It’s likely that you’ll be advised to rest as much as possible and avoid mental and physical exertion.
Tendinitis
Tendinitis simply refers to inflammation of the tendons. It can occur in any of the tendons, but commonly affects the elbows, shoulders, wrists, heels, and knees. This injury is caused by placing too much stress on a muscle or joint.
A well-known kind of tendinitis is tennis elbow. If you twist your wrist outward and experience pain, this is tennis elbow. If you experience pain when turning your wrist inward, this is likely golfer’s elbow. Achilles tendinitis affects the Achilles tendon at the back of the lower leg and is common in sports like football that require running and jumping.
The best treatment for tendinitis is rest as you’ve already overused the affected muscle or joint.
Icing the area will also help to reduce inflammation. Once the initial swelling is down, you can alternate to heat. Instead of a cold compress, opt for a hot one or a warm bath. You should also consider over-the-counter medications if you’re struggling with pain.
Take The Right Action
If you’re not recovering from a seemingly common injury within a reasonable amount of time, seeking medical advice is always advisable.
The longer an injury persists, the more long-term damage it can do. Just ask Paul Pogba who’s future hangs in the balance.
