Sports Injuries can arise due to any of the following:

• Trauma during sports
• Over training / Overuse
• Incorrect techniques
• Lack of conditioning or form
• Failure to warm up or cool down properly

Risks factors for getting sports injuries:

• Childhood

     Children are active by nature and are especially at risk for sports injuries. They may not  

     be aware of their physical limitation and may push themselves to injury more easily than  

     adults or teenagers.

• Age

    The older age group people more likely to experience a sports injury. Such injuries in the

    older athlete take longer to heal. New injuries may aggravate these previous injuries.

• Lack of care

     Many overuse injuries, such as tendonitis and stress fractures, can develop into serious injuries, if they go untreated or get ignored.

• Obesity

     Extra weight puts unnecessary and increased stress on patient’s joints, especially the hips, knees, and ankles. The joint stress gets magnified several times with exercise or sports and increases the risk for sports injuries.

Sports Injuries can be of different types and can affect the bones and soft tissues of the upper limbs, lower limbs or the spine. Common sports injuries are bone fractures, joint dislocations, soft tissue strains, sprains or tears.

The bones can get fractured due to an acute trauma during sports or it may suffer a stress fracture due to repeated activities or overuse. Joints may even dislocate during sporting injuries. These dislocations could be the first episode, or they can be recurrent dislocations.

The soft tissue injuries are more common and can affect any joints of the upper limb, lower limb or the spine. These injuries can affect tissues like the muscles, ligaments, tendons, fascia or bursae. They can occur in the form of bruises, strains, sprains & tears.

Traumatic brain injury is also an example of a type of sports injury.

The seven most common sports injuries are:

• Ankle Sprain
• Groin Pull
• Hamstring strain
• Shin splints
• Knee ACL tear
• Patellofemoral syndrome
• Tennis elbow

Sports injuries get diagnosed based on patient’s history of participation in sports or training, their clinical examination and appropriate investigations when needed.

A detailed history enables the doctors to understand the mechanism of injury and the possible structures that may be damaged or injured. Medical history also helps to pick up high-risk patients or those with previous injuries that may have been ignored or neglected.

Many sports injuries cause immediate pain or discomfort. In acute cases, there will be swelling, bruising, tenderness and difficulty in moving the affected part or joint. Patients may have difficulty in mobilising or weight bearing with lower limb injuries. Some patients may show signs of joint instability or dislocations.

With overuse injuries, findings may become apparent only after long-term damage has occurred. Such injuries are diagnosed during routine physical examinations or check-ups.

X-rays, Ultrasound scan, MRI scan or CT scan may get advised based on patient’s medical history and physical examination. This helps to confirm the sports injury and also assess its severity. These help in planning the best line of treatment.

The RICE method is a common treatment regimen for sports injuries like sprains and strains. It stands for:

• Rest

• Ice packs are applied to the injured part 4 to 5 times a day for 20 to 30 minutes

• Compression bandage is applied to protect injured part and reduce swelling.

• Elevation –The injured part is kept elevated higher than the heart to reduce swelling and pain. This elevation can be with a sling for the upper limb injuries or elevation of leg over 2 pillows for lower limb injuries.

• Follow the RICE method within the first 24 to 36 hours after the injury. It can help reduce swelling and prevent additional pain and bruising in the early days after a sports injury

• Splints / Braces etc are also given based on type and severity of the sports injury

• Physiotherapy is started as soon as tolerated. This helps in faster rehabilitation and recovery

• Anti-inflammatory medications are to be taken as required to reduce pain and swelling.

• In cases of serious injuries like fractures, ligament injuries or torn tendons the patients are advised to consult an orthopaedic surgeon for further management.

Most sports injuries are successfully managed with non-surgical measures.

But in certain situations, surgery offers the best solution for treating sports injuries. This enables the sportsmen to make full recovery and get back quickly to pre-injury levels. These surgeries can be performed arthroscopically or by open techniques.

• Fractures

Severe fractures affecting joint surfaces (intra-articular fractures) or open fractures (compound fractures). The type of surgery performed to fix these fractures depends upon their location and fracture pattern.

• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears in the knee.

The torn ACL is either repaired with special implants or reconstructed with a tendon graft harvested from within patient’s own body.

• Meniscal tears in the knee.

This surgery can be either to repair the torn meniscus or to remove the torn portion in complex meniscal injuries (partial menisectomy).

• Recurrent patellar dislocations or patellar instability

Surgery is needed for patellae that keep dislocating repeatedly or there is failure to respond to conservative measures in patellofemoral instability.

Surgery can be performed to help stabilise the patella by reconstruction of its medial (inner) ligament or improving the alignment of the leg at the knee e.g. Correction of knock knee deformity that improves patellar stability.

• Recurrent (repeated) shoulder dislocations

Surgical stabilisation for shoulder dislocation in younger patients enables them to return to pre-injury level without the fear of repeated dislocations.

• Rotator cuff tears

Surgery gives the best chance for healing of torn rotator cuff tendon and return to sports.

• Achilles tendon tears

Surgery in such patients allows precise tendon repair, faster rehabilitation and reduced chances of another rupture. Patients can return to pre-injury levels quickly.

Surgeries for managing injuries is sports can be done arthroscopically or by open techniques. The aim is to get the injured athletes back to pre-injury level sporting activities as soon as possible.

Some commonly performed surgeries:

• Shoulder:

Stabilisation surgeries for dislocations

Repair of torn rotator cuff       

Repair of SLAP tears in overhead athletes

• Knee:

ACL reconstruction / repair 

    PCL reconstruction

Meniscus – Repair / Partial menisectomy

Knee cartilage defects management

Stabilisation surgery for Patellofemoral instability

• Ankle:

Osteochondral defect management

Recurrent ankle sprains

Repair of torn achilles tendon

• Hip:

Arthroscopic surgery for Femoro-acetabular Impingement & Labral tears

• Elbow:

Arthroscopic surgery for Tennis elbow

UCL reconstruction surgery in throwers

• Wrist & Hand:

Arthroscopic repair of wrist TFCC tears

Fixation of wrist, scaphoid or hand fractures in athletes

Sports injuries prevention is important to avoid injuries and consequent loss of time and money for a professional athlete.

Measures for avoiding or preventing sports injuries are:

• Adequate warm up and stretching: Cold muscles are prone to overstretching and tears. Warm muscles are more flexible. They can absorb quick movements, bends, and jerks, making injury less likely.

• Use proper training techniques

Athletes must learn the proper way to move during their sporting activities. Different types of exercises require different stances and postures. For example, in some sports, bending their knees at the right time can help avoid an injury to athlete’s spine or hips.

• Have the proper equipment

Using the correct sports specific equipment and maintaining them helps prevent sports injuries. Also wearing the recommended sports specific properly fitting protective gears can help shield the body against injuries and reduce chances of getting hurt. eg elbow guards, helmets, comfortable clothes, appropriate shoes

• Avoid over-training and take adequate rest

If you do get hurt, make sure you are fully healed from your injury before you restart sporting activities. Do not try to ‘work through’ the pain. Resting between workouts gives the body time to rest and repair.

• Take it easy

Avoid jumping back quickly into sports at the same pre-injury intensity.

When returning back to sports after injury, it is better to take things gradually and ease oneself back into exercises or sports. Gradually increasing strength, flexibility, and endurance give the muscles, bones, and other tissues the opportunity to adapt to more difficult workouts and also minimise the risk of further injuries. 

• Cool down

Proper cool down after sporting activities is done with stretching and exercises similar to warm up activities.

• Resume activity slowly

Over-protection of a sports injury or excessive rest may delay healing. Early physiotherapy and various modalities help faster healing and recovery. Take things slowly, and gradually ease back to exercise or your sport of choice. Get a clearance from your sports medicine specialist that you are physically fit to play the sport

• Professional coaching and advice for improving or correcting sporting techniques avoids sporting injuries and also helps athletes improve their performances.

• Avoid exercising immediately after a heavy meal

• Maintain a healthy diet which will nourish the muscles