Sports safety tips for the casual athlete
If you spend your summer weekends shooting hoops or tossing a football around with the guys, you probably know just how real the risk of injury is. In fact, you may have even experienced an injury at some point.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, about 2 million people who are otherwise in good health experience sports injuries and are treated in medical emergency departments.
Dr. Raza Ahmad, sports medicine specialist at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia, suggests stretching, preferably before and after playing sports. If you do get injured, know when to see a doctor and understand how to care for the injury.
Sprained Ankles
Ankle sprains are the most common of sports injuries, typically happening when the foot is rolled inward, with weight applied on the foot’s outer edge.
Be on the lookout for:
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Pain as you bear weight on the ankle
How to treat it:
- Use the RICE method: Rest the injured limb. Ice the injured area. Compress the injured area with an elastic wrap or bandage. Elevate the injured limb above your heart to reduce swelling.
- When you feel ready, try to move your ankle as gently as possible. Start out slow.
How to avoid it: Wear an ankle brace—it can help reduce the chance of sprains. If you have a history of sprains, look into physical therapy to rebuild strength in the ankle, Ahmad says.
Sprained Knees
Knee sprains tend to happen from contact following an unstable landing. Most knee sprains involve ligaments, including the medial collateral ligament, or MCL, and the lateral collateral ligament, or LCL, both of which are located on the outside of the knee.
Be on the lookout for:
- Pain and tenderness along the ligaments
How to treat it:
- Follow the RICE method.
- Wear a hinged brace and stick to a gentle range of motion, as recommended by your doctor, for the first couple of weeks.
How to avoid it: Avoiding a knee sprain is mostly a matter of chance, Ahmad says. “I wouldn’t say don’t play sports, but if this happens on a repeated basis you maybe should reconsider playing,” he says.
Wrist Injuries
While it is a natural instinct to put hands up to break a fall, doing so can lead to wrist fractures.
Be on the lookout for:
- Swelling
- Tenderness
- Pain, especially when applying pressure between the thumb and index finger
How to treat them: Wrist fractures could lead to arthritis in the future. It’s best to have these injuries examined by a doctor as early as possible. If it isn’t serious, spica splints, a type of orthopedic brace that wraps around your thumb and wrist, are commonly used for treatment. Serious cases could need surgery.
Skull Fractures
Skull fractures at or near the base of the skull also can happen while playing sports, and they can be accompanied by concussion or other serious injury to the brain, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Be on the lookout for:
- Bruising around the eyes
- Clear fluid leaking from the nose or ears
- Headache
- Slurred speech
- Swelling
- Nausea and vomiting
- Stiff neck
- Drowsiness
- Difficulty balancing
- Confusion
How to treat it: Skull fractures are serious and need immediate treatment. If you think you or someone you know has a head injury, go to the nearest emergency medical facility.