Causes and symptoms

Common causes of sports injuries include:

• athletic equipment that malfunctions or is used incorrectly
• falls
• forceful high-speed collisions between players
• wear and tear on areas of the body that are continually subjected to stress

Symptoms include:

• instability or obvious dislocation of a joint
• pain
• swelling
• weakness

Diagnosis

Symptoms that persist, intensify, or reduce the athlete's ability to play without pain should be evaluated by an orthopedic surgeon. Prompt diagnosis often can prevent minor injuries from becoming major problems, or causing long-term damage.

An orthopedic surgeon should examine anyone:

• who is prevented from playing by severe pain associated with acute injury
• whose ability to play has declined due to chronic or long-term consequences of an injury
• whose injury has caused visible deformities in an arm or leg.

The physician will perform a physical examination, ask how the injury occurred, and what symptoms the patient has experienced. X rays and other imaging studies of bones and soft tissues may be ordered.

Anyone who has suffered a blow to the head should be examined immediately, and at five-minute intervals until normal comprehension has returned. The initial examination measures the athlete's:

• awareness
• concentration
• short-term memory

Subsequent evaluations of concussion assess:

• dizziness
• headache
• nausea
• visual disturbances

Treatment

Treatment for minor soft tissue injuries generally consists of:

• compressing the injured area with an elastic bandage
• elevation
• ice
• rest.

Anti-inflammatories, taken by mouth or injected into the swelling, may be used to treat bursitis. Anti-inflammatory medications and exercises to correct muscle imbalances usually are used to treat tendinitis. If the athlete keeps stressing inflamed tendons, they may rupture, and casting or surgery is sometimes necessary to correct this condition.

Orthopedic surgery may be required to repair serious sprains and strains.

Controlling inflammation as well as restoring normal use and mobility are the goals of treatment for overuse injuries.

Athletes who have been injured are usually advised to limit their activities until their injuries are healed. The physician may suggest special exercises or behavior modifications for athletes who have had several injuries. Athletes who have been severely injured may be advised to stop playing altogether.

Prevention

Every child who plans to participate in organized athletic activity should have a pre-season sports physical. This special examination is performed by a pediatrician or family physician who:

• carefully evaluates the site of any previous injury
• may recommend special stretching and strengthening exercises to help growing athletes create and preserve proper muscle and joint interaction
• pays special attention to the cardiovascular and skeletal systems.

Telling the physician which sport the athlete plays will help that physician determine which parts of the body will be subjected to the most stress. The physician then will be able to suggest to the athlete steps to take to minimize the chance of getting hurt.

Other injury-reducing game plans include:

• being in shape
• knowing and obeying the rules that regulate the activity
• not playing when tired, ill, or in pain
• not using steroids, which can improve athletic performance but cause life-threatening problems
• taking good care of athletic equipment and using it properly
• wearing appropriate protective equipment

On a larger scale, sports injuries are becoming a public health concern in America. Prevention efforts include wearing protective devices (such as bicycle helmets and pads when skating or skateboarding), and educating both children and adults about safety. Research also continues on improving equipment. For example, thick rubber insoles can help prevent against repetitive injuries from running, but scientists recently observed that they can add to injuries in sports such as soccer, where athletes need to make quick changes of direction.

Unable to retrieve image! Contact technical support or your system administrator for assistance.	Chauncy Billups, a guard for the Denver Nuggets, grimaces after spraining his ankle during a game.
(AP/Wide World Photos. Reproduced by permission.)

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