Immediate Sport Injury Treatment for Sports injuries that those injuries that a person incurs during any sporting activity. While some injuries are accidental in nature and caused by the very nature of the game, other injuries are due to insufficient warming up prior to the game, improper gear or even poor training practices. Some of the most common sports injuries include injuries of the knee, pulled and swollen muscles, sprains, dislocations and fractures. Achillis tendon injuries are also very common.
Immediate sports injury treatment plays a key role in faster and permanent healing. The first step towards treating any injury is to stop the activity immediately and determine the cause of the injury as well as the extent of the injury. Once this is done, only then can the correct course of treatment be determined. While some injuries that are minor can be treated by yourself, it is best to seek professional help in case of a major injury.
R.I.C.E., which stands for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation is the first step of any sports injury treatment. R.I.C.E aims to prevent or reduce swelling and stop bleeding if there is any.
The first step, rest implies that the activity should be stopped so that the tissues get time to heal. Continuing the activity will only cause the tissues to get further damage thus causing the injury and pain to get even worse. If the injury has occurred to any of the major weight bearing bones, a crutch can help you get around without making the injury worse.
Applying an ice pack on to the injured part of the body helps to stop or reduce the swelling. If you do not have an ice pack handy, a plastic bag filled with crushed ice or a towel wrapped in ice will do just as well. Note: The worst thing to do in case of swelling is to apply heat as heat tends to facilitate circulation of the blood, thereby increasing swelling.
Wrapping the injured part of the body firmly with an elastic bandage also helps reduce the swelling. Immediate compression of an injury is an important step towards preventing or reducing the swelling.
Elevating the injured part above the heart by placing it on a pillow also helps draw the blood away from that part thus keeping the swelling under control. There are also specially designed pillows that are meant for this purpose.
After administering immediate sports injury treatment it is equally important to check with a physician. Some of the instances when a visit to the doctor is absolutely necessary include:
o There is severe pain accompanied by numbness or swelling in the area
o You are unable to put any weight or even touch the injured area
o The joint feels unstable and cannot bear any weight
In the absence of these signs, it is safe to carry out immediate sports injury treatment measures at home. However, in case any of these signs is present it is advisable to see a doctor as soon as possible. Some of the sports injury treatment measures a doctor may take include immobilization with a sling, splint or cast to prevent the injured area from incurring more damage; administering nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or sometimes even surgery.
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