Sports Medicine at the Center for Orthopedic Surgery
The Center for Orthopedic Surgery offers a comprehensive approach to the treatment and management of sport injuries. Sports and exercise are good for you, but sometimes accidents, poor training practices or improper gear can cause injury.
Common sports injuries:
- Sprains and strains
- Knee injuries
- Swollen muscles
- Achilles tendon injuries
- Pain along the shin bone
- Fractures
If you get injured, stop playing! Continuing to play or exercise can cause more harm. Treatment often begins with the RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation) this can relieve pain, reduce swelling and speed healing. Other treatments may include pain relievers, immobilization, rehabilitation and sometimes surgery.
- Rest - and take the weight off the injured area.
- Ice - the injured area for 20 minutes 4x up to 8x a day (20 minutes only to avoid cold injury). A plastic bag filled with crushed ice and wrapped in a towel will work if you don’t have an ice pack.
- Compression - put even pressure on the injured area to help reduce swelling. You can use an elastic wrap but not to tight
- Elevation - put the injured area on a pillow, at a level above your heart, to help reduce swelling.
There are two kinds of sports injuries: acute and chronic.
Acute injuries occur suddenly when playing or exercising. Sprained ankles, strained backs, and fractured hands are acute injuries. Signs of an acute injury include:- Sudden, severe pain
- Swelling
- Not being able to place weight on a leg, knee, ankle, or foot
- An arm, elbow, wrist, hand, or finger that is very tender
- Not being able to move a joint as normal
- Extreme leg or arm weakness
- A bone or joint that is visibly out of place.
- Pain when you play
- Pain when you exercise
- A dull ache when you rest
- Swelling.
When to see the doctor:
- The injury causes severe pain, swelling, or numbness
- You can't put any weight on the area
- An old injury hurts or aches
- An old injury swells
- The joint doesn't feel normal or feels unstable.
As injury heals, scar tissue forms. Over time, the scar tissue shrinks. This shrinking brings the injured tissues back together. When this happens, the injured area becomes tight or stiff. This is when you are at greatest risk of injuring the area again. You should stretch the muscles every day. You should always stretch as a warm up before you play or exercise.
Don't play your sport until you are sure you can stretch the injured area without pain, swelling, or stiffness. When you start playing again, start slowly. Build up step by step to full speed.
REST- Although it is good to start moving the injured area as soon as possible, you must also take time to rest after an injury. All injuries need time to heal; proper rest helps the process.
Other common therapies that help with the healing process include mild electrical currents (electro stimulation), cold packs (cryotherapy), heat packs (thermo therapy), sound waves (ultrasound), and massage.Avoiding sports injures.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pond of cure!- Do: Wear protective gear, such as helmets, protective pads, and appropriate footwear.
- Do: stretch before you play or exercise.
- Do: Avoid playing when very tired or in pain.
- Do: use proper mechanics in sports fitness:
- Don't over bend your knees more than half way when doing knee bends.
- Don't twist your knees when you stretch.
- When jumping, land with your knees bent.
- Don't over do it know when you are at you limit.
- Don't run on asphalt or concrete.
The Center for Orthopedic Surgery embraces a comprehensive approach when treating sports injuries. Our goal is to get you back on track and avoid future injury. Dr. Kehoe or Dr. Hanlon will personally develop a plan that fits your lifestyle.
