Pushing too hard and not warming up enough can lead to injury
Any injury that occurs during exercise or while playing a sport is considered a sports-related injury. This type of injury is often the result of not using proper technique or the appropriate equipment. It can also be caused by not warming up enough or not stretching properly before getting into action. Some people injure themselves by pushing too hard and not allowing sufficient rest in between workouts. Injuries can also be caused by accident, of course, such as tripping and falling while running or colliding with another person during a team sport.
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Sports injuries may affect the muscles, joints, tendons and ligaments, and most commonly include:
- Sprains
- Strains
- Swelling
- Fractures
- Dislocation
The Achilles tendon (tissue connecting muscles of calf to the heel bone) and the knees are particularly vulnerable to sports injuries.
A sports-related injury can be acute, causing sudden pain during play, or chronic, in which pain endures and gets reactivated when you're exercising or at rest.
In either case, you should stop what you're doing right away as continuing to push past the pain may cause further (and sometimes irreparable) harm to your body.
Generally, sports injuries can be cared for at home with medication to relieve pain and the familiar formula RICE, which stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation. If you've had an injury to the head, however, or you have a broken bone or dislocation, you need to go to the emergency room right away.
If you’ve had an injury and are unable to drive yourself or feel as though you might pass out, call 911 right away.
Some sports injuries require immediate or ongoing medical care from a sports injury rehabilitation team, which may include an orthopaedic surgeon, physiatrist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, exercise physiologist, sports medicine specialist and athletic trainer. Together a team of experts can help you heal, strengthen and get back to doing the activities you love to do.
