Sports injuries are a common occurrence among active people. Whether you’re a professional athlete or a weekend warrior, injuries such as tennis elbow, swollen muscles, or minor sprains are all too common. Most major sports injuries are easy to spot due to the sharp and sudden pains that are associated with them.
However, some acute sports injuries aren’t as apparent. Sometimes, injuries begin with a minor ache or discomfort that people end up ignoring. Over time, the pain progresses and becomes a debilitating condition which requires immediate attention. Recognizing early warning signs of serious sports injuries is vital for getting prompt and proper treatment.
Expert doctors recommend seeking immediate medical attention if you have any of the following problems:
Tenderness:
An important indicator of a serious sports injury is tenderness or pain at a certain spot when pressure is applied to it. To test the tenderness, you can try pressing the same place on the other side of the body while you’re pressing the affected area. If there’s no pain on the other side, it’s a clear sign that you’ve suffered an injury that needs to be treated immediately.
Pain:
Sharp or intense pain is a common indicator of a serious sports injury. Joint or muscle pain near or around the knees, elbows, wrists, or ankles is an obvious sign of muscular damage; especially if it occurs due to a contact sport activity. However, it’s safe to wait for 24 hours to see if the pain subsides. If it doesn’t, then you might want to head on over to your local emergency room.
Swelling:
Spotting a swollen joint or body part can be tricky. Sometimes, the swelling is obvious, and comes with accompanying stiffness in the nearby joints. Other times, the swelling is negligible, and you’ll have to measure it through other factors such as stiffness or a clicking sound when you move the joint.
Limited Mobility:
In case you notice pain and stiffness when moving a certain part of the body, it might be indicative of an underlying injury. When the muscles get damaged, they tend to swell, which decreases the range of possible motions. If you feel like you’re having difficulty performing the same functions you normally do after a workout or a sports activity, you might have injured some tendons or muscles.
Numbness:
Loss of sensation or a tingling feeling in the injured area is one of the most important and obvious signs of a serious injury. This could indicate that a nerve is being compressed around the affected area which is reducing the ability to feel pain or soreness. If you experience any kind of numbness after a sporting event, get it checked by a professional orthopedic doctor immediately!
Contact Our Specialists!
Sports & Exercise Medicine Institute is a collection of sports medicine clinics in the greater Toronto area. Our services include shockwave therapy, regenerative therapy, PRP injections, and custom-made medical braces, among others. Get in touch with our specialists today by calling at 1-844-223-7364.
