As an athlete, the chances of getting injured become high. You can suffer injuries by accidentally bumping into others or tripping and falling. Sometimes you may get so injured that you cannot play for a while. Fortunately, you can shorten the time by seeking out sports injuries Lawrenceville doctors. They are experts in treating and preventing such problems.
If you are an athlete just getting into sports, it is important to know of the injuries you may get. Once you do, you will seek help immediately. Here are five injuries that they treat below.
Rotator Cuff Injury
A rotator cuff is a group of muscles that surround the shoulder joint. This injury affects athletes engaged in overhead activities such as tennis, baseball, and weightlifting. That is because it involves repetitive, consistent motions which put stress on the shoulder. When you get this injury, it means your rotator cuff muscles are torn.
Its symptoms include pain when lifting and lowering your arm, weakness in the arm, and a crackling sensation when moving the arm. As soon as you have these symptoms, you should avoid playing and instead rest. Playing only worsens the injury.
Knee Injury
There are many knee injuries, so we will tackle only two: patellar fracture and knee dislocation. The former occurs as a result of falling on your kneecap on a hard surface or direct trauma (getting hit with a hockey stick). The injury causes symptoms such as swelling, inability to lift your foot, and sudden onset of sharp pain. Doctors may treat the injury through surgical repair or re-alignment.
As for a knee dislocation, you experience a sudden change in the direction of your bones. It usually affects cyclists, footballers, and gymnasts. Its treatment may involve relocation, immobilization, and surgery.
Sprain
This injury takes place after you overextend or tear your ligament and affects different body parts depending on the sport. Thumb sprains are common with racquet players, while ankle sprains affect runners. Athletes can reduce sprains by stretching their bodies first.
In case you get a sprain, try the RICE method (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation). If it does not work, you can consider over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen.
Fracture
There are two main types of fractures: acute and stress. The former occurs due to direct trauma or violent twisting and affects people in motor racing and skiing. On the other hand, stress fractures result from overuse or repetitive stress and affect basketballers and gymnasts.
Fractures usually require immediate medical attention. When you call a doctor, you should reduce the swelling by using ice. Also, you should stop the bleeding by applying pressure to the affected organ.
Concussion
A concussion is a brain injury resulting from a bump or blow to the head. That causes your brain to bounce within your head, which can interfere with the nerves. Its symptoms include nausea, confusion, and double vision.
Doctors usually ask the person to rest to clear it. Physical therapy is also another treatment option.
Most sports injuries can be avoided if you exercise. That means you must come up with a schedule. If you cannot draft one, you can ask a sports doctor to help you out. As careful as you may be, you can still get injured through no fault of your own. Sometimes someone else may accidentally hit you so hard. The only thing you can hope for while playing is that people will be careful. If you have a reputation for being rough, you could try being gentle in the field.
