Common sports injuries include twisted ankles, painful joints, and stiff, sore muscles. If you continue to exercise when injured further damage can leave you laid up for weeks or months. “Break a leg” means good luck only in the theater. Take care to avoid injury when exercising.
Prevention
Common sense can prevent many sports injuries. Some typical injuries and ways to prevent them are listed below. The top six are:
Knee injury – knees are very susceptible to injury.
- Avoid looking at your knees when standing or moving.
- Do not bend knees past 90¡ when doing half knee bends.
- Avoid twisting knees by keeping feet flat as much as possible (during stretches).
- Use the softest surface available when you exercise.
- Wear proper shoes with soft, flexible soles.
- When jumping, land with knees bent.
Muscle soreness – a symptom of having worked out too hard or too long.
- Do warm-up exercises such as those that stretch the muscles before your activity, not only for vigorous activities such as running but even for less vigorous ones such as golf.
- Don’t overdo it.
- In vigorous activities, go through a cool-down period. Spend five minutes doing the activity at a slower pace. For example, after a run, walk or walk/jog for five minutes so your pulse comes down gradually.
Blisters – due to poor fitting shoes or socks.
- Wear shoes and socks that fit well (the widest area of your foot should match the widest area of the shoe. You should also be able to wiggle your toes with the shoe on in both a sitting and standing position). The inner seams of the shoe should not rub against areas of your feet.
- Wear preventive taping, if necessary.
Side stitch – sharp pain felt underneath the rib cage.
- Don’t eat or drink two hours prior to exercise.
- Do proper breathing by raising abdominal muscles as you breathe in.
- Don’t “work through pain”. Stop activity, then walk slowly.
Shin splints – mild to severe ache in front of the lower leg.
- Strengthen muscles in this region.
- Keep calves well stretched.
- When using an indoor track, don’t always run in the same direction.
Achilles tendon pain – caused by a stretch, tear, or irritation to the tendon that connects the calf muscles to the back of the heel.
- Do warm-up stretching exercises before the activity. Stretch the Achilles’ tendon area and hold that position. Don’t bounce.
- Wear proper fitting shoes that provide shock absorption and stability.
- Avoid running shoes with a heel counter that is “too” high.
- Avoid running on hard surfaces like asphalt and concrete.
- Run on flat surfaces instead of up hill. Running up hill aggravates the stress put on the Achilles’ tendon.
Self-Care Tips
At the first sign of serious discomfort or pain, stop what you’re doing and apply R.I.C.E. – rest, ice, compression, and elevation. By following this easy-to-remember formula, you can avoid further injury and speed recovery.
R — Rest the injured area for 24 to 48 hours.
I — Ice the area for 5 to 20 minutes every hour for the first 48 to 72 hours, or until the area no longer looks or feels hot.
C — Compress the area by wrapping it tightly with an elastic bandage for 30 minutes, then unwrap it for 15 minutes. Begin wrapping from the point farthest from the heart (distally) and wrap toward the center of the body (proximally). Repeat several times.
E — Elevate the area to reduce swelling. Prop it up to keep it elevated while you sleep.
Also, doctors recommend taking aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen sodium to reduce inflammation and pain. (Take these with food or milk to prevent stomach irritation). [Note: Do not give aspirin or any medication containing salicylates to anyone 19 years of age or younger, unless directed by a physician, due to its association with Reye’s Syndrome, a potentially fatal condition.]
Once the injured area begins to heal, do M.S.A. techniques. M.S.A. stands for movement, strength, and alternate activities.
M — Movement – Work at establishing a full range of motion as soon as possible after an injury. This will help maintain flexibility during healing and prevent the scar tissue formed by the injury from limiting future performance.
S — Strength – Gradually strengthen the injured area once the inflammation is controlled and a range of motion is re-established.
A — Alternate Activities – Do regular exercise using activities that do not strain the injured part. This should be started a few days after the injury, even though the injured part is still healing.
Questions to Ask
Do you have any of the following?
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Are any of these problems present?
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Healthy Self: The Guide to Self-Care and Wise Consumerism
© American Institute for Preventive Medicine