Sports Injury Management
We all have grown up playing some sort of sports, and we all love to get involved in it. Moreover, we just love to witness a group of children playing a game.
Sports activities have a multi-dimensional impact on everyone. They keep us fit, healthy, and also stress-free. I have never witnessed a person being sad while playing his favorite game.
But here’s something which is always accompanied by any sports activity- Injury.
I still remember, back in my childhood when I used to fall while playing cricket and I used to cry, my dad would say, “Girega nahi to seekhega kaise?” (How will you learn if you don’t fall?)
Also, apart from sports, in our normal day-to-day life, injuries are inevitable. We sometimes see a minor cut in our body and wonder “Ye kya hua? Kaise hua? Kab hua?” (What just happened? How did it happen? When did it happen?)
Sometimes, bleeding and injury are such that, it requires quick management to avoid further damage.
Remember, injury followed by excessive bleeding requires urgent treatment.
However, if you have an injury you should visit a doctor or a trained medical professional.
Sports Injury Management: Tips and Tricks To Heal Sport Injuries
Step 1: Do not panic.
Step 2: Be patient.
Acute (recent) injuries follow PRICE Protocol:
P: Protection
R: Rest
I: Icing
C: Compression
E: Elevation
Protection: there should be a proper protection of the part of injury from other injuries.
Eg: if there is an injury to the leg, the person should be careful while walking and weight lifting so that the injury could heal.
Rest: AVOID ANY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND EXCURSION. The injury needs a proper time to heal. Take adequate rest, avoid stressful activities for a while and relax.
Icing: This is regarded as a GOLD STANDARD method for treating acute injuries. COLD Packs, in the form of ICE or COLD water, is kept on the affected part. Icing has many wonderful effects.
- It reduces bleeding
- It reduces pain
- Cold packs also restrict blood flow to the affected part for a period of time
The person should ice the part of injury within every 15-20 minutes in order to prevent it from further damage. AVOID ICING OVER THE NECK.
Compression: Make sure there is proper compression and immobilization when there is an injury in any part of the limbs. Crepe bandages can compress the injury easily, such as over the ankle during an ankle sprain.
A walking aid such as a crutch, or a mere stick can be used for lower limb injuries to prevent weight bearing, or a cuff/collar sling can be used for the upper limb.
There should be a proper immobilization on the part of the injury. It is significant so that any movement does not interfere with the healing or further increase the damage.
Elevation: In sports injury management, the affected part should be elevated and raised above heart level. This is mostly done in cases of lower limb injuries, to aid blood flow from the legs to the heart.
(As venous blood flow depends on muscle contractions, and the muscle cannot contract due to injury. The person needs to leave the work on gravity in order to elevate the leg.).
(For reducing pain, various painkillers are available which are safe and affordable, such as NSAIDS (Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Aspirin, etc).
However, do not take drugs from across the counter.