Four Common Injuries in Sports Medicine

There are three pillars to the foundation of sports medicine and they are prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. The processes are required to take as long as necessary in order to fully benefit the athlete. Whether he or she is a professional or a novice fitness addict, stress or traumatic injury to the musculoskeletal system needs to be treated in the same way. The fact that the professional athlete will need to return to his or her sport in just as good if not improved condition within the next three, six or twelve months determines treatment methods but for the novice fitness person they can take their time with treatment there is no reason to push oneself if it risks optimum healing and compromises recovery. Four of the most common injuries that are treated by the variety of doctors and specialist in sports medicine are ankle sprains, knee dislocation, elbow injuries and shoulder injuries. From the toes to the neck and even the skull, sports medicine, at one time or another, has or will have seen it all when it comes to stress and trauma related damage to the body, but some are just more common than others.

First, an ankle sprain can occur as the result of a roll, a twist or a direct strike. Trainers and physical therapists may recommend rest, ice, compression and elevation at first. Once the pain has subsided, begin utilizing ankle strengthening exercises for four to eight weeks to prevent further injury or recurring injury at any point in the near future at least. Second, knee dislocation or sprain causes pain when attempting to bend it, straighten it, or walk on it. When it comes to the knee, elbow or shoulder, depending upon the severity of the joint damage or muscle damage, your injury may require surgery, weeks of rest or months of physical therapy in order to return strength and regular use.

Ice and heat are helpful if applied at the right time after injury, but today much of the home non-surgical treatments include infrared application, massage, physical therapy (passive and active exercises), and of course plenty of rest. Sports medicine encompasses all of the aspects of determination of severity of injury, application of the most effective treatment method and recovery management thereafter. Patients are shown throughout the process that their athletic health is about injury prevention, injury treatment and rehabilitation before returning to diet and exercise routines that sustain prevention.