SPORTS MEDICINE
About 95% of sports injuries are due to minor trauma involving
soft tissues-bruises, muscle pulls, sprains (ligaments), strains
(muscles and tendons), and cuts or abrasions. Moreover, sports
injuries occur more frequently in physical education classes and
free-play sports than in organized team sports.
Sprains | Strains
| Contusions |
Spinal Cord Injuries |
Skeletal Injuries
Sprains
Almost one-third of all sports injuries are classified as
sprains. A sprain is a partial or complete tear of a ligament, which
is a tough band of fibrous connective tissue that connects the ends
of bones and stabilizes the joint.
Symptoms include the feeling that
a joint is "loose" or unstable; an inability to bear weight because
of pain; loss of motion; the sound or feeling of a "pop" or "snap"
when the injury occurred, and swelling. Not all sprains produce
pain, however.
Strains
A strain is a partial or complete tear of a muscle or tendon.
Muscle tissue is made up of cells that contract and make the body
move. A tendon consists of tough connective tissue that attaches
muscles to bones.
Contusions
The most common sports injury contusions (bruises) rarely cause an athlete to be sidelined. Bruises result when a blunt injury
causes underlying bleeding in a muscle or other soft tissues.
Prompt treatment for soft tissue injuries usually consists of
rest, applying ice, wrapping with elastic bandages (compression),
and elevating the injured arm, hand, leg or foot. This usually
limits discomfort and reduces healing time. Proper first aid will
minimize swelling and help the physician establish an accurate
diagnosis.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Although spinal cord injuries in sports are rare, ten percent of
all spinal injuries occur during sports, primarily diving, surfing
and football. They can range from a sprain to paralysis in the arms
and legs (quadriplegia) to death. Participants in contact sports can
minimize the risk of minor neck spinal injuries-sprains and pinched
nerves-by doing exercises to strengthen their neck muscles.
Skeletal Injuries
A sudden, violent collision with another player, an accident with
sports equipment or a severe fall can cause skeletal injuries in the
growing athlete, including fractures.
Fractures constitute a low five to six percent of all sports
injuries. Most of these breaks occur in the arms and legs. Rarely
are the spine and skull fractured.
More common, however, are stress fractures and ligament-bone
disruptions that occur because of continuing overuse of a joint. The
main symptom of a stress fracture is pain. Frequently, initial
x-rays do not show any signs of a stress fracture so the athlete is
permitted to return to the same activity. Unfortunately the pain
often returns or continues, but the athlete keeps playing. The most
frequent places stress fractures occur are the tibia (the larger leg
bone below the knee), fibula (the outer and thinner leg bone below
the knee), and foot.
Any further questions you may have regarding
Sports Medicine are answered in our
Frequently
Asked Questions section.
More information:
American Orthopaedic Society
for Sports Medicine
6300 North River Road Suite 500
Rosemont, IL 60018
Phone:
847-292-4900
Fax: 847-292-4905
Website: www.sportsmed.org
American Academy of
Orthopaedic Surgeons
6300 North River Road
Rosemont, IL 60018
Phone:
847-823-7186 | 1-800-346-AAOS
Fax: 847-823-8125
Website: www.aaos.org
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