Sports Injuries
Sports injuries are injuries that occur when engaging in sports or exercise. Sports injuries can occur due to overtraining, lack of conditioning, and improper form or technique. Failing to warm-up increases the risk of sports injuries. Bruises, strains, sprains, tears, and broken bones can result from sports injuries.
Risks
Joint
replacement
How you prepare
Joint
replacement
What you can expect
Joint
replacement
Results
Joint
replacement
The most common reason for knee replacement surgery is to relieve severe pain caused by osteoarthritis. People who need knee replacement surgery usually have problems walking, climbing stairs, and getting in and out of chairs. Some also have knee pain at rest.
Knee replacement surgery, like any surgery, carries risks. They include:
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Infection
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Blood clots in the leg vein or lungs
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Heart attack
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Stroke
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Nerve damage
Signs of infection
Notify your doctor immediately if you notice:
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Fever greater than 100 F (37.8 C)
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Shaking chills
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Drainage from the surgical site
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Increasing redness, tenderness, swelling, and pain in the knee
An infected knee replacement usually requires surgery to remove the artificial parts and antibiotics to kill the bacteria. After the infection is cleared, another surgery is performed to install a new knee.
Artificial knees can wear out
Another risk of knee replacement surgery is failure of the artificial joint. Daily use wears on even the strongest metal and plastic parts. Joint failure risk is higher if you stress the joint with high-impact activities or excessive weight.
Food and medications
Your doctor or anesthesiologist might advise you to stop taking certain medications and dietary supplements before your surgery. You'll likely be instructed not to eat anything after midnight the day of your surgery.
Prepare for your recovery
For several weeks after the procedure, you might need to use crutches or a walker, so arrange for them before your surgery. Make sure you have a ride home from the hospital and help with everyday tasks, such as cooking, bathing and doing laundry. If you live alone, your surgeon's staff or hospital discharge planner can suggest a temporary caretaker.
To make your home safer and easier to navigate during recovery, consider doing the following:
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Create a living space on one floor since climbing stairs can be difficult.
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Install safety bars or a secure handrail in your shower or bath.
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Secure stairway handrails.
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Get a stable chair with a firm seat cushion and back, and a footstool to elevate your leg.
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Arrange for a toilet-seat riser with arms if you have a low toilet.
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Get a stable bench or chair for your shower.
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Remove loose rugs and cords.
Before the procedure
Knee replacement surgery requires anesthesia. Your input and preference help the team decide whether to use general anesthesia, which makes you unconscious, or spinal anesthesia, which leaves you awake but unable to feel pain from your waist down.
You'll be given an intravenous antibiotic before, during and after the procedure to help prevent post-surgical infection. You might also be given a nerve block around your knee to numb it. The numbness wears off gradually after the procedure.
During the procedure
Your knee will be in a bent position to expose all surfaces of the joint. After making an incision about 6 to 10 inches (15 to 25 centimeters) long, your surgeon moves aside your kneecap and cuts away the damaged joint surfaces.
After preparing the joint surfaces, the surgeon attaches the pieces of the artificial joint. Before closing the incision, he or she bends and rotates your knee, testing it to ensure proper function. The surgery lasts about two hours.
After the procedure
You'll be taken to a recovery room for one to two hours. How long you stay after surgery depends on your individual needs. Many people can go home that same day. Medications prescribed by your doctor should help control pain.
You'll be encouraged to move your foot and ankle, which increases blood flow to your leg muscles and helps prevent swelling and blood clots. You'll likely receive blood thinners and wear support hose or compression boots to further protect against swelling and clotting.
You'll be asked to do frequent breathing exercises and gradually increase your activity level. A physical therapist will show you how to exercise your new knee. After you leave the hospital, you'll continue physical therapy at home or at a center.
Do your exercises regularly, as instructed. For the best recovery, follow all of your care team's instructions concerning wound care, diet and exercise.
For most people, knee replacement provides pain relief, improved mobility and a better quality of life. And most knee replacements can be expected to last more than 15 years.
Three to six weeks after surgery, you generally can resume most daily activities, such as shopping and light housekeeping. Driving is also possible at around three weeks if you can bend your knee far enough to sit in a car, if you have enough muscle control to operate the brakes and accelerator, and if you're not still taking narcotic pain medications.
After recovery, you can engage in various low-impact activities, such as walking, swimming, golfing or biking. But you should avoid higher impact activities — such as jogging, skiing, tennis and sports that involve contact or jumping. Talk to your doctor about your limitations.
Types
Sports Injuries
Different sports injuries produce different symptoms and complications. The most common types of sports injuries include:
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Sprains. Overstretching or tearing the ligaments results in a sprain. Ligaments are pieces of tissue that connect two bones to one another in a joint.
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Strains. Overstretching or tearing muscles or tendons results in a sprain. Tendons are thick, fibrous cords of tissue that connect bone to muscle. Strains are commonly mistaken for sprains. Here’s how tell them apart.
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Knee injuries. Any injury that interferes with how the knee joint moves could be a sports injury. It could range from an overstretch to a tear in the muscles or tissues in the knee.
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Swollen muscles. Swelling is a natural reaction to an injury. Swollen muscles may also be painful and weak.
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Achilles tendon rupture. The Achilles tendon is a thin, powerful tendon at the back of your ankle. During sports, this tendon can break or rupture. When it does, you may experience sudden, severe pain and difficulty walking.
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Fractures. Bone fractures are also known as broken bones.
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Dislocations. Sports injuries may dislocate a bone in your body. When that happens, a bone is forced out of its socket. This can be painful and lead to swelling and weakness.
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Rotator cuff injury. Four pieces of muscle work together to form the rotator cuff. The rotator cuff keeps your shoulder moving in all directions. A tear in any of these muscles can weaken the rotator cuff.
Treatment
Sports Injuries
The RICE method is a common treatment regimen for sports injuries. It stands for:
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rest
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ice
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compression
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elevation
This treatment method is helpful for mild sports injuries. For best results, 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.
Here’s how to follow RICE, plus a recovery timeline.
Both over-the-counter and prescription medications are available to treat sports injuries. Most of them provide relief from pain and swelling.
If your sports injury looks or feels severe, make an appointment to see your doctor. Seek emergency care if the injured joint shows signs of:
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severe swelling and pain
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visible lumps, bumps, or other deformities
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popping or crunching sounds when you use the joint
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weakness or inability to put weight on the joint
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instability
Also seek emergency attention if you experience any of the following after an injury:
Serious sports injuries can require surgery and physical therapy. If the injury doesn’t heal within two weeks, contact your doctor for an appointment.
Prevention
Sports Injuries
The best way to prevent a sports injury is to warm up properly and stretch. 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.
Also take these steps to avoid sports injuries:
Use the proper technique
Learn the proper way to move during your sport or activity. Different types of exercise require different stances and postures. For example, in some sports, bending your knees at the right time can help avoid an injury to your spine or hips.
Have the proper equipment
Wear the right shoes. Make sure you have the proper athletic protection. Ill-fitting shoes or gear can increase your risk for injury.
Don’t overdo it
If you do get hurt, make sure you’re healed before you start the activity again. Don’t try to “work through” the pain.
When you return after letting your body recover, you may need to ease yourself back into the exercise or sport rather than jumping back in at the same intensity.
Cool down
Remember to cool down after your activity. Usually, this involves doing the same stretching and exercises involved in a warmup.
Resume activity slowly
Don’t be tempted to nurse your injury for too long. Excessive rest may delay healing. After the initial 48-hour period of RICE, you can start using heat to help relax tight muscles. Take things slowly, and ease back in to exercise or your sport of choice.
Diagnosis
Sports Injuries
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Many sports injuries cause immediate pain or discomfort. Others, like overuse injuries, might be noticed only after long-term damage. These injuries are often diagnosed during routine physical examinations or checkups.
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If you think you have a sports injury, your doctor will likely use the following steps to get a diagnosis.
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These include:
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Physical examination. Your doctor may attempt to move the injured joint or body part. This helps them see how the area is moving, or how it’s not moving if that’s the case.
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Medical history. This involves asking you questions about how you were injured, what you were doing, what you’ve done since the injury, and more. If this is your first time visiting this doctor, they may also ask for a more thorough medical history.
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Imaging tests. X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, and ultrasounds can all help your doctor and healthcare providers see inside your body. This helps them confirm a sports injury diagnosis.
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If your doctor suspects you have a sprain or strain, they may recommend you follow the RICE method.
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Follow these recommendations and keep an eye on your symptoms. If they get worse, that can mean you have a more serious sports injury.
