Whether you’re a professional athlete or just someone who plays sports as a hobby, you’re probably well aware of the many injuries associated with the different sports you play.
With so much body movement, it’s very easy to get hurt while playing sports. In fact, you could get seriously hurt simply from a misstep while running. And while you can do a lot to prevent sports injuries, the fact is that they happen, and they happen all too often.
You should be aware of the different sports injury treatment options and other things you should and shouldn’t do when you’re faced with a sports injury.
If you’ve sustained a sports injury and you can see or feel it, it’s best to get checked by a doctor right away. Sports injuries may feel minor at first. Sometimes you can be in the throes of competition, and your adrenaline is making you unaware of how serious your injury may be. You may also think that you can just walk it off, but that could make the injury worse. Don’t wait to see whether the pain just goes away on its own—see a doctor right away. The earlier you treat the injury, the faster you can recover and get back into the action.
There are so many blogs, articles, and videos full of medical advice “floating about” on the internet. This may tempt you to skip the doctor’s office visit and treat a sports injury by yourself.
Keep in mind that the information available on the internet could be for the purposes of affording more general knowledge (at best) or could be flawed and unverified (in the worst situations). You could end up making your injury worse with the treatments that these “experts” are recommending. It’s always best to see your doctor or an orthopedic sports medicine specialist for a thorough examination and a treatment plan that’s based on your specific condition.
Advanced imaging technology, an examination, and a doctor’s expertise can combine to tell you what you’ve injured and how severe your situation is. Don’t risk your health by following advice from internet sources only.
Even when you’ve been to the doctor, and he or she has told you it’s nothing to worry about, you should look for any signs of swelling, tingling, or numbness in or near the affected area. That’s when it’s time to contact the doctor again or even seek a second opinion.
Swelling can lead to further injuries and can also be a sign of underlying issues. On the other hand, numbness could be pointing toward a problem with your nerves or muscles. It could be nothing to worry about, but getting another specialist to look at it if your first point of contact dismisses it could at least give you peace of mind.
No matter how important a game you have coming up, it’s not a good idea to push your luck. Ideally, you should wait for the entire period that the doctor recommended that you rest. Rest and rehabilitation are two of the best remedies for most orthopedic sports injuries.
In the case of sprains, the doctor may even suggest special exercises or physiotherapy. While the exercises or process may hurt at first, the pain shouldn’t be unbearable. If it is too great, just slow down or stop altogether for a while.
Lastly, it’s essential to go for your follow-up appointments with your doctor when dealing with a sports injury. The follow-up appointments are there to monitor your progress in order to make sure the treatment plan is working. They “close the feedback loop” for your doctor so that he or she can adjust the treatment plan, if need be, to give you the best chances of fully recovering.
If you’re currently dealing with a sports injury near Spring, Texas, and think you might need treatment, you can find an orthopedic sports specialist at TOPS Surgical Specialty Hospital.
Phone: (281) 539-2900
Fax: (281) 715-4525
7 Day a Week 24 Hours a Day
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