Athletic Injuries

Ads

Every family has seen its share of injuries tracing to athletic endeavors or, ironically, the pursuit of physical fitness. For the most part, athletic injuries are a result of stress put on bones or muscles. Most common are injuries to soft tissue-muscles, tendons, and ligaments.

A dislocation occurs when two bones are jolted apart at a joint and is often accompanied by a ligament tear in the joint. The pain is caused by the severe stretching of soft tissues.

A fracture is either simple (closed)-in which the broken bone remains beneath the skin surface and does minimal damage to surrounding tissues-or compound (open)-in which the bone protrudes through the skin. The ankle, hand, wrist, and collarbone are common sites of fracture.

Shoulder injuries are common in sports that require throwing motions or intense contact. Dislocations are most common in the shoulder joint. Acromioclavicular joint (AC) separation occurs when the ligaments that support the collarbone are torn. The rotator cuff is where four muscles meet and attach to the humerus; overuse of the shoulder may inflame or tear tendons in the area, causing rotator cuff tendonitis.

Epicondylitis affects the elbow and typically occurs in sports requiring frequent wrist manipulation and forearm rotation. The lateral (affecting the outer elbow) form is tennis elbow. Medial epicondylitis involves the inner elbow.

Lower-back injuries, such as muscle tears, are common in sports that involve a lot of bending. The high velocity and full contact nature of hockey and football frequently cause neck and spine injuries, such as a herniated disk, in which an intervertebral disk protrudes from the spinal column.

Intense leg movement, including twisting and spreading, may tear the adductor muscle (groin strain), which connects the leg with the pubic bone.

The knee, are involved in some of the most common lower-body injuries. Continual jumping may result in tearing, of the tendon just below the kneecap, or patella, causing patellar tendonitis, or jumper's knee. The knee, may also suffer from other injuries, such as teats of the meniscus, a piece of cartilage in the knee joint between the femur and tibia.

The sudden tearing of muscle fibers that may occur after excessive athletic activity and the consequent accumulation of fluid in the muscle that causes pain, tenderness, and local swelling characterize a charley horse.

Increased interest in jogging and cross training has resulted in a parallel rise in leg injuries, including shin splints, tendonitis, and stress fractures, especially in the tibia or fibula bones. If continually exposed to stress from prolonged standing, running, or walking, a stress fracture may result in a larger fracture. The foot often falls victim to injury because it must support the weight of the entire body. Plantar fasciitis often affects inexperienced runners, causing pain along the inner heel and along the arch of the foot, sometimes accompanied by stiffness and numbness in the heel. A similar problem, march fracture, develops in the bones of the foot when extreme stress (running, walking) is continually placed on the ball of the foot.

Causes

An AC separation results from sudden impact on the side of the shoulder or on an outstretched arm. Wear on the rotator cuff, causing rotator cuff tendonitis, may occur if you continually engage in sports that require overhead motion like that in a tennis serve. Medial epicondylitis is caused by traumatic, repetitive arm motion, as when pitching in baseball. Sudden, violent twisting of the elbow or continual pulling and strain on the forearm muscles can cause the condition.

A charley horse is usually caused by a sudden, acute strain in the leg, but mineral deficiency, hormone imbalance, calcium deposits in the muscles, or dehydration can also be causes. Muscle imbalance, a poorly aligned leg, or running on a hard road with improper footwear may cause a stress fracture. Tight hamstrings may contribute to lower-back problems, and tight Achilles ten-dons may precede cases of tendonitis of the foot and ankle.

Diagnostic and Test Procedures

Basic assessment of an injury begins with your medical history and a physical exam. X-rays may be ordered to examine your bones for possible fractures, dislocations, and other injuries. A bone scan is a highly sensitive test that may detect stress fractures that might not show up in x-rays.

Arthroscopy, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are generally used on joints. Arthroscopy employs a tiny camera inside a very small tube, called an arthroscope, to examine the interior of your joints; it is useful in both diagnosing and repairing some joint injuries (for ex-ample, cartilage fragments can be removed through the tube). Ultrasound scanning uses sound waves to generate an image that your doctor can view on a screen. An MRI produces excellent images of soft tissue, enabling diagnosis of damage to muscles, ligaments, and tendons.

Treatment

Treatment for sports injuries aims to relieve pain, repair or realign bones, and restore your body to its full athletic ability.

Conventional Medicine

Most minor soft-tissue injuries are best treated with RICE: rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Injuries such as tendonitis and plantar fasciitis usually require rest and a rehabilitation pro-gram to maintain flexibility and strength. Aspirin or ibuprofen may help reduce the pain and inflammation that accompany these conditions. Depending on the severity of the pain, your physician may treat your epicondylitis with an injection of a corticosteroid, with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAI Ds) such as ibuprofen, or with aspirin. An elbow cuff and physical therapy may also be indicated.

For acute pain as a result of an AC separation, codeine may be prescribed for the first couple of days. Thereafter, aspirin and a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug may be taken for chronic pain. Your physician may immobilize the injured area with a sling. If possible, the displaced bones of a dislocation are manipulated back into place. If this is not feasible, you may need surgery, after which the joint is immobilized until it is stable. If necessary, a fracture is treated by reduction, a procedure in which the broken bone ends are manipulated so that they abut each other in their original position. The procedure may be done surgically or without cutting the skin. More serious fractures are repositioned and held in place with metal pins or by screws, plates, and rods placed permanently in or on the bone. A march fracture is customarily treated by placing the foot in a plaster cast or a rigid boot; you must rest it for three to six weeks.

Alternative Choices

Acupuncture

Administered by a professional, acupuncture may be helpful in treating athletic injuries and soothing the body after strenuous training. It has been shown to reduce pain and swelling and should be applied as soon as possible after injury occurs.

Body Work

Massage relieves aches and pains, is especially helpful for tendonitis and epicondylitis, and can lessen the onset of muscle soreness. Administered by a professional, the Alexander technique, Rolfing, and the Feldenkrais method may be useful. Knead the area of a charley horse, rubbing in the direction of the muscle fibers.

Homeopathy

Arnica (12c) may be taken every 10 minutes for 1 to 2 hours, until the shock of fracture passes, and then every 8 hours for the next two to three days. Taken every 8 to 12 hours for up to three days, Ruta (12c) may aid healing after a dislocation. The symptoms of a sprained ankle may be eased with Rhus toxicodendron (12c), taken four times a day for as long as a week.

Hydrotherapy

Water is the perfect place for athletes recovering from injuries to work out. Aquatic movement pro-vides muscle resistance without straining joints.

Lifestyle

Heat before exercise can loosen joints and soft tissue. Various types of braces and supports worn during exercise can protect joints and soft tissue and stabilize an uncomfortable joint or tendon. Consult your doctor or a physical therapist. To avoid ankle injuries, always wear appropriate shoes with ample protection and support.

Nutrition and Diet

Many experts advise athletes to maintain a high-carbohvdrate, lom-fat diet to increase energy levels and promote muscle strength. Taken orally or topically, vitamin E may guard against muscle damaue during exercise. Magnesium helps maintain muscle flexibility, which lessens susceptibility to injury. For bone fractures. vitamin B complex and zinc may help.

At-Home Remedies

Replacing fluids lost through perspiration with a carbohydrate-electrolvte sport, drink helps prevent cramping.
Ice packs reduce swelling; a bag of frozen vegetables can be a makeshift ice pack. Do not use chemical cold packs; they are much colder than water packs. Place a damp towel around your pack so that it is not directly on your skin.
A warm compress may relieve muscle pain, especially before massage and stretching.
To relieve cramping, elevate the affected area to direct blood flow toward the heart.
If muscles are sore the day after a tough work-out, soak in a hot tub and rest the affected area.

Prevention

Before you begin a sport or exercise routine, have a physical exam, especially if you are over 40. Sports injuries usually result when the muscles are poorly conditioned. You should have a 10-minute warmup session-running in place or doing jumping jacks-before an athletic activity to increase your body temperature and diminish chances of muscle injury. Stretching after your workout will prevent soreness the next day. Engage in your sport or exercise at least three times a week to maintain proper conditioning. n

Adapted from ‘Family Medicine’

Similar of Athletic Injuries