HEALTHSOUTH SPORTS TIPS

Miami Heat Magazine, December 1996

Common Sports Injuries and Injury Prevention

Today, more people than ever are participating in sports.  Consequently, more people than ever are injured in these sports-related activities.  Sports injuries are divided into two categories.  The first is caused by one specific traumatic event, such as a clipping injury in football or twisting one's ankle in basketball.  However, most sports injuries are related to overuse where the chronic repetitive stresses from that activity exceed the limits of the athletes' tissues and pain develops.

This article is a brief review of some of the more common sports related activities and our attempts to prevent these injuries from occurring.

One of the most effective ways of preventing injury is with proper conditioning prior to aggressive participation in the sport.   In addition, proper warm-up and stretching both before and after the activity also decreases the risk of injury.

With the cooperation of our players coming into training camp in better and better shape each year, under the guidance of Bill Foran, our strength and conditioning coach and Ron Culp, our athletic trainer, we ahve seen a direct correlation from proper conditioning and a lower injury rate.

Ankle Sprains

Twisted ankles are one of the most common injuries in jumping sports, particularly basketball.  Most occur while landing on a foot that has twisted inwards and pointed downwards.  The sprain may be mild, moderate or severe.  The severe sprains usually involve complete tearing of at least one to two ankle ligaments.  Severe sprains may be treated by casting or bracing, followed by a rehabilitation program.  The more mild sprains may just require a period of ice and elevation followed by a brief period of rehabilitation.  Many of the more mild sprains may not require the athlete to miss any games.  However, many sprains can be prevented or the severity lessed by several measures.

A properly fitted athletic shoe may be helpful.   What we have found helpful has been ankle taping or bracing.  In fact, for every practice and game, our players are either taped or braced or not allowed on the court.  There are  variety of ankle braces available and the specific choice for each individual athlete can be advised by a sports medicine specialist.

Stress Fractures

Another common and frequently preventable injury is the stress fracture.  Stress fractures are microfractures of bone caused by repetitive stresses related to increased running and jumping activities.  The athlete will complain of increased pain the more that they run and jump.  There may be mild and associated swelling.  In many circumstances x-rays may not show the stress fracture and the patient may require a bone scan or a magnetic resonance scan to confirm the diagnosis.  Most stress fractures heal with a period of rest for four to eight weeks.  However, there are certain stress fractures that will not heal without surgery and the appropriate diagnosis is crucial.  Many stress fractures are preventable.  Many of our athletes have special soft cushioned orthotics (insoles) with increased shock absorption to decrease stresses on the foot and lower legs.   Once again, a peroprly fitted athletic shoe is crucial.

Muscle Strains

Muscle strains or "partial tearing of the muscles" are very common injuries in sports.  Although clasically people identify muscle strains with sprinters, in fact, these injuries can occur in any athlete who accelerates or decelerates quickly.  Most muscle strains require tearing of muscle fibers within the belly of the muscle, most commonly in the calf or thigh.   Most muscle strains are, once again, divided into categories: mild, moderate and severe.  Severe muscle strains may require a period of crutch use, followed by a long period of physical therapy to decrease swelling, regain normal motion and improve strength and flexibility in an effort to prevent recurrence of the injury.  The more mild muscle strains may require a much briefer period of therapy an in increased emphasis on flexability and stretching to prevent similar injuries.  Once again, muscle strains are frequently preventable with proper conditioning, gradual participation in a specific sport, proper warm-up and stretching prior to and after the event and appropriate playing surfaces and conditions.

        Clearly, the goals of sports medicine are more than just treating injuries when they occur.  An understanding of how injuries occur and efforts to prevent injury will keep many more athletes participating injury-free.