Sports Injury & Fracture Care
Sports are a fun and excellent way to keep fit and maintain good health for anyone from kids to senior citizens. However, you may sometimes experience a sports-related injury or fracture during sports. Unfortunately, these injuries can force you into inactivity or time away from the sport you love.
While these injuries may be impossible to prevent, you can take appropriate preventative action and reduce injury rates by a large percentage. If you get a sports injury in Waikiki or the surrounding cities, Doctors of Waikiki can help — we offer the best sports injury care in Honolulu.
What is an acute sports injury?
An acute sports injury refers to damage to the body from a specific activity, movement, or motion, for example, getting hit during soccer or twisting an ankle when playing basketball. It can also result from a non-contact injury where a person lands and twists a joint. An acute sports injury often leads to swelling, constant pain, and significant loss of function.
What are the most common acute sports injuries?
Fasciitis
Fasciitis is when the layer of fibrous tissues covering muscles and tendons swell from overuse. For example, walkers and runners often experience swelling of the sole of the foot.
Sprains
Sprains are injuries to ligaments and occur in various degrees. First-degree sprains are where the ligament stretches, leading to pain and swelling. Second-degree injuries involve tearing of ligament fibers, thus causing weakness and bluish discoloration. Finally, third-degree sprains involve tearing of most or all the ligament fibers and cause severe weakness and reduced mobility.
Bursitis
The joints, muscles, and bones have small, fluid-like sacs that cushion them and act like tiny shock absorbers. Bursitis occurs when particular movements are repeated over and over, causing swelling from overuse or trauma; this is common for many athletes in sports like baseball or football.
Arthritis and synovitis
Many athletes suffer from arthritis from their time playing sports and any trauma they’ve experienced on their joints. Even if the joint trauma is allowed to heal correctly, arthritis can develop and cause synovitis, or inflammation of the tissue surrounding joints.
Strains
Strains or muscle pulls are injuries to muscles or fibrous tissues connecting muscles to bones. They also come in three degrees, like sprains resulting from a fall or misstep that exerts too much force on a muscle or tendon, leading to stretching or tearing of fibers.
Contusions
These occur when direct trauma causes bleeding into tissues.
Muscle cramps and spasms
Muscle cramps and spasms are strong muscle contractions and can cause severe pain for short periods. In many cases, cramps and spasms can be prevented with effective stretching before activities and good dieting.
Tendinitis
Tendinitis is a common sports injury that occurs when a tendon inflames due to excessive use or poor body mechanics. The most common symptom of this injury is pain, but swelling, warmth, and redness may occur. The pain is often severe as the exercise starts but reduces during exercise, only to return shortly after that.
Lacerations and abrasions
Cuts and scrapes may occur during sporting events, and while minor injuries can be cleaned with soap and water, significant injuries may need special dressings or sutures.
Dislocations
Dislocations are usually disabling and painful and occur when bones slip out of their correct alignment in a joint.
Fractures
Fractures are a break in the integrity or continuity of a bone and usually require skilled medical management except for hairline fractures and broken toes.
Treatment for Common Sports Injuries
You can manage common sports injuries on your own, but if the problem is severe, consider seeking expert help.
Protection
Protect injured tissues using elastic wraps, simple splints, or bandages to prevent further injury. Visit your doctor in Waikiki if the injury needs precision splints or casts.
Rest
Injured tissues require time to heal. If you have to exercise during the recovery period, you can diversify your workouts. For instance, you can stop playing tennis as you recover from tendinitis but still hike, jog, or walk.
Ice
Ice has excellent anti-inflammatory properties to help reduce swelling and pain. You can use an ice pack for 10-15 minutes after an injury, repeat hourly for the first four hours, and four times per day for the next two to three days. Use a thin cloth to protect your skin. You can switch to heat treatment after 48-72 hours using the same principles and schedule.
Compression
Pressure helps reduce swelling and inflammation. A snug, but not too tight, elastic bandage can work, but you may have to loosen the wrap since the swelling may continue after the injury. You can also use foam rubber to ensure gentle pressure on the injured area without constricting the entire limb or joint.
Elevation
This practice cashes in on the force of gravity to draw off fluid from injured tissues to reduce swelling, inflammation, and pain. You can put a pillow under the sore foot or limb or keep it on a hassock to elevate the injured area.
5 Tips to Prevent Sports Injuries
Use good technique. Consider taking a few lessons or coaching to improve your technique and performance.
Use good equipment (e.g., well-fitting shoes).
Warm up before each exercise session and cool down afterward.
Work yourself into shape slowly. Avoid going all out without preparing.
Kindly do not overdo it. Injuries usually result from overuse. Allow your body to rest after workouts and alternate highly intensive sessions with less intensive ones.
Stretch regularly to preserve flexibility and reduce the risk of injury.
Orthopedics Hawaii – Opening in April 2022
Orthopedics Hawaii will be opening in April 2022 and will be next to Doctors of Waikiki (in suite #12), so patients can come to either clinic and gain a referral to physical therapy, which we offer in our Doctors of Waikiki clinic. Orthopedics Hawaii will stand apart from other orthopedic urgent care clinics in Hawaii by providing an orthopedic surgeon instead of a physician’s assistant to see patients.
Treatment for Common Sports Injuries & Fractures in Waikiki
When prevention does not work, early detection is the next safe thing you should consider. Ensure you are alert for symptoms such as swelling, pain, diminished mobility, and strength or skin discoloration. You should spot the symptoms before they become severe and manage them. But if you don't see improvements or have a major injury, seek expert help.
Residents of Oahu are fortunate to have professionals to help manage sports injuries and fractures. At Doctors of Waikiki, we are committed to offering you the best sports injury care. We are a walk-in clinic which is open daily from 8 am to midnight. No appointment is needed. Come on in today.
Image Source: mansong suttakarn / Shutterstock