Injuries are almost inevitable if you play a lot of sports or do a lot of athletic training, and they can wreck your fitness as well as cause you pain and mobility issues. David N. Feldman, MD, of Active Joints Orthopedics in Englewood, New Jersey, is a pioneering orthopedic surgeon with extensive experience in treating patients who have sports injuries and restoring them to fitness. For a fast recovery from a sports injury, call Active Joints Orthopedics today, or book an appointment with Dr. Feldman online.
Sports injuries involve damage or trauma to the soft tissues when training for or taking part in sporting activities. The most common injuries caused by sports activities are:
Although they sound similar, sprains and strains are different kinds of injuries. Sprains involve damage to ligaments, the tough connective tissue that holds bones together. Strains involve damage to muscles or tendons, the connective tissue that holds muscles to bones.
Sprains and strains occur when the muscle, tendon, or ligament stretches too far beyond its range. This can occur as an acute injury, such as when you overreach and the soft tissue stretches or tears, or as a result of a chronic strain to tissues from repeated activity.
Fractures and dislocations may exhibit similar symptoms to sprains and strains, so it’s important to get any injuries checked out and properly diagnosed.
Symptoms vary depending on whether your injury is acute or chronic. Typical symptoms of acute injury are:
Typical symptoms of a chronic injury are:
Sports injuries aren’t always avoidable and accidents are bound to happen, especially when you’re engrossed in a competitive activity. However, many injuries are preventable.
You should always warm up properly and stretch your body gently to loosen up your muscles before you get started. Follow a sensible training program to avoid pushing yourself too hard, and make sure you wear the right gear, such as running shoes for running instead of just sneakers.
As soon as you sustain an injury, apply the rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE) protocol. Once you have an accurate diagnosis, Dr. Feldman may recommend one or a combination of:
Surgery may be necessary when there’s severe damage or fractures.
Get help with your sports injury by calling Active Joints Orthopedics today, or book an appointment online.
