By While playing sport, there is always the risk of suffering from major and minor injuries. Some may only require a quick fix, while others can be play-ending.
So, what are the most common sporting injuries? Here are just four the team at House Call Doctor have put together which carry long term effects.
- Sprain
A sprain is one of the most common sports-related injuries and there can be both minor and severe sprains. The less serious sprains will naturally heal over time, which is why many people tend to think lightly of a sprain injury.
However, if a sprain is severe, prolonged bracing may be required as well as the possibility of surgery to repair any affected ligaments.
If you think you may be suffering from a sprain, here are some common symptoms to look out for:
- Swelling
- Pain
- Limited ability to move the affected area
- Muscle spasms.
As previously mentioned, although most sprains will naturally heal over time, severe cases will require medical attention.
If you’re experiencing any of the below signs, book an appointment with your regular doctor.
- Being unable to walk more than a few steps without severe pain
- Being unable to move the affected area
- Feeling pain directly over the bones of the affected area
- Feeling numbness in the affected area.
- ACL injury
Another common sports-related injury is to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) which occurs when the ACL in the knee is overstretched or torn. Sports which typically have the most ACL injuries are those which involve sudden stops, changes in direction or jumping. Examples include football, soccer, basketball, tennis and gymnastics.
Depending on the severity, treatment can include rest and rehabilitation exercises or if necessary, surgery.
If you think you may be suffering from an ACL injury, here are some common symptoms to be aware of:
- Severe pain
- Swelling (this will usually appear a few hours after the injury occurred)
- Instability
- Loss of range of motion.
- Tennis elbow
Tennis elbow, otherwise known as lateral epicondylitis, is caused by the overuse of the elbow. Simply, tennis elbow is an inflammation of the tendons which join the forearm muscles to the outside of the elbow. In a minor case, there will be pain and tenderness on the outer side of the elbow while a severe case may involve nerve damage.
- Shoulder dislocation
If an athlete does suffer from a shoulder dislocation, there will be generalised swelling, restricted arm movement as well as loss of shoulder contour. Once an athlete has suffered from a shoulder dislocation, it is likely they will have another one in the future. If this is the case, the ligaments will be stretched, and the affected person should seek medical advice in regards to whether surgery may be necessary.
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