Last Updated on August 13, 2023 by Faiza Murtaza
The more you know about the types of injuries that may occur in sports, the better prepared you might be to keep yourself and your family safe. Sports medicine physicians are trained to treat a wide range of conditions. They can treat 5 common athletic injuries ranging from sprains and strains to concussions and head traumas. They can also help prevent injuries from occurring by instructing athletes on proper warm-up protocols, nutrition recommendations, hydration guidelines, and other ways. If you or someone in your family is injured while playing sports, consider consulting a New York sports medicine specialist so they can help prevent future injuries. Below are five common injuries that a sports medicine physician can treat.
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1. Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow is a common injury when the tendons in your forearm muscles and connective tissue become irritated. The pain may be present when you grip, lift or carry objects. Tennis elbow can affect your ability to write or type due to swelling in your forearm muscles.
Tennis elbow tends to happen most often among individuals who participate in activities that require repetitive use of their hands. Other activities that increase the risk of developing tennis elbow include golfers and baseball pitchers.
2. Patellar Tendinitis
Patellar tendinitis is a common injury that affects the tendon that connects your quadriceps muscle to your knee cap. This condition can result in pain and swelling in the front of your knee. It often occurs when you squat, jump, or run on hard surfaces like concrete.
Treatment for patellar tendinitis includes rest, ice, and compression. If these treatments are ineffective, you may need surgery to repair damaged tissue on either side of your patella tendon.
3. Hamstring Strain
A hamstring strain is a common injury among athletes. It usually occurs when your muscle and tendon are stretched beyond their normal range of motion, causing pain in the lower part of your leg.
Mild or moderate hamstring strains can be treated with rest, ice, compression, and elevation. However, if they are severe or fail to heal quickly, your sports medicine doctor might recommend surgery. To make the treatment effective, you may need to perform various stretching exercises, especially if you have weak or stretched-out hamstrings.
4. Groin Pull
Groin pulls are a common injury in sports. Groin, hip flexors, or muscle strains might cause them. Your sports medicine doctor may recommend RICE (rest, ice, compression, and elevation) to treat a groin pull.
RICE treatment involves resting the injured area for at least 20 minutes on an ice pack or cryotherapy machine to reduce pain and swelling. Afterward, you will need to apply an ice pack to the injured area for 20 minutes before elevating it above heart level with pillows.
5. Achilles Tendinitis
Achilles tendonitis is an inflammation of the Achilles tendon, which connects your heel bone to your calf muscle. It leads to pain and stiffness in the back of your ankle and may cause you to limp or hobble when walking.
To treat this injury, your sports medicine doctor can help stretch out the affected area and reduce swelling. They might also recommend rest or an anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen. Your doctor might recommend surgery for severe injury cases that do not respond well to conservative treatments.
Sports injuries can be unexpected and affect your ability to play your favorite sport. Fortunately, various treatments available can improve your condition and prevent further injuries. Getting treatment for your sports injury can also help prevent progressive damage to your ligaments, tendons, and joints and increase your chance of a full recovery. You can also learn various effective methods of protecting yourself against injuries through your doctor.
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