How To Treat Minor Sports Injuries At Home

By Laura Kelly


Whether you are just walking in the house or in an arena practicing for a marathon you are not spared from the possibility of an injury. It could be caused by not looking at where you go, or one single misstep, but sadly you cannot always have nice things. At some point in life you have probably gotten a sprain from some totally lame reason.

If normal and everyday physical activity can cause people to have injuries, the likelihood increases when they engage in sports. Wilmington sports injuries clinics and facilities are available for the disposal of every athlete and gym goer in case of an emergency. While some people can just treat it by themselves the nature of more painful types of injuries just would not allow them.

First is to prevent any possible occurrence of injuries. When planning to go through a workout program it is best to start slowly working your way up to more difficult routines. Consult with a physical fitness trainer or a physical therapist to acquire a program that will help you get into the shape you desire gradually.

Having to warm up is essential for any sport just as much as cooling down routines. This prevents your muscles from getting pulled easily and suffering from pain that will limit your mobility. Also wear the proper gear designed for the sport you play.

When working out in the gym, whether it involves weights, or certain forms of stretching, as in yoga, proper technique and position are essential. Putting the arms, hands, legs and other parts the wrong way can cause serious injury. This will prevent you from going to the gym for a while if you are not careful. Not only will the proper execution of exercise prevent accidents from happening but they also make the practice more effective.

The most common injuries are sprains, strains, knee injuries, swollen muscles, fractures and dislocations. For sprains and strains the PRICE therapy works wonders, and is effective almost immediately. PRICE stands for Protection, rest, ice, compression and elevation.

Some may not bother with protective solutions like crutches and slings if it not needed. Resting is also a must by not moving the affected body part. The I stands for ice pack which needs to be applied to the area for at most 20 minutes between a three hour interval. Compress the injury with an elastic bandage to prevent the swelling from getting worse. And lastly, elevate the area in a level above the heart to assist circulation.

While PRICE is a home remedy, there are somethings that it cannot help with. For more dangerous and painful cases like dislocations and fractures, it is best to run the patient to the nearest clinic or emergency room. Surgery may even be needed for this which would make use of synthetic parts to piece or realign the broken and dislocated areas back in place. These devices can range from wires to screws and metal plates.

The recovery period after treatment always varies on the damage done on the body part and how well it was treated. A badly fractured arm can take half a year until it gets fully functional. While exerting too much effort on the affected body part is dangerous, you are not prevented to do light amounts of movement to get the area back in shape. This helps improve that area when it comes to movement.




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