Sports injuries are a common concern for every parent, especially the ones related to bones, skulls, and teeth. Although it is great to know your children enjoys are fond of sports and outdoor activities, you want to protect them from getting hurt. So, read on to find out how you can prevent sports injuries.
What are Sports Injuries?
The injuries caused by impact, force, or trauma during sports are sports injuries. There are two types of sports injuries – acute sports injuries and chronic sports injuries. Acute injuries are sudden injuries caused due to wrong posture or positioning. and the repeated use of muscle groups or joints with the wrong technique leads to chronic sports injuries.
What are the Common Sports Injuries?
Many injuries are possible in a playground or sports arena. But some of the most common are:
Sprains
Ligaments are the bones connecting tissues. Their tearing causes sprain leading to stiffness, pain, and swelling.
Strains
Strains occur when kids exert their muscles or overstress their tendons which connect bones to muscles.
Dental Injury
This is common for kids in contact sports and other sports. Many dental injuries, including tooth fractures and damage, can lead to facial damage. Encourage your kids to wear a dental sports guard during play.
Knee Injuries
Overstressing the knee muscle or tearing can cause knee injury. It can also be a result of a strong impact.
Swollen Muscles
Swelling is often a common after-effect of any injury, such as fracture and dislocation.
Fractures
Broken and fractured bones are common chronic sports injuries parents that require professional medical attention.
Dislocations
Dislocation of shoulders or other bones from their socket is also a common phenomenon in sports.
Bruises
Cuts and bleeding coming from cuts are called bruises. It happens due to direct impact or blow.
Concussion
Feeling of dizziness, headaches, unconsciousness, and memory loss when a blow hits the head are called concussions.
Cuts and Abrasions
These result from falls and impacts, primarily on Legs, knees, and hands.
Injured Achilles tendon
It is in the back of the ankle and can get injured due to a powerful blow or impact, resulting in sharp pain.
How to Handle Sports Injuries?
While your child needs medical help to heal from serious sports injuries, the milder ones can be treated at home. Manage the symptoms until you see your doctor. Experts recommend the “RICE” method to manage acute and chronic sports injuries. RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.
Use this method for the first 24 to 36 hours to reduce swelling, pain, and inflammation. You can take OTC pain relief medicines also. Remember, RICE is a temporary treatment method for minor sports injuries. But when is the time to stop treating your kids at home and see a doctor?
When to Contact Your Doctor?
You can treat most moderate injuries through the RICE method at home. But you shouldn’t delay in making an appointment with your doctor if you notice these symptoms:
- Excessive bruising or bleeding.
- Legs, hands, or other body parts showing signs of deformity.
- Extreme swelling that is not decreasing as time passes.
- Injured body part not moving or not in a condition that it can be used.
- Difficulty in movement due to unbearable pain, which refuses to subside with time.
How to Avoid Sports Injuries?
Some golden rules of playing sports without getting hurt are mentioned here. Your kids can steer clear of sports and dental injuries if they follow them.
- Wear all necessary protective gear and equipment. For instance, parents often worry about how to avoid dental injury. Preventing dental injury is one of the main benefits of wearing a mouthguard while playing contact sports.
- Start playing only after warming up.
- Learn and use the correct technique.
- Don’t play under fatigue or in pain.
- Be physically fit to play any sport.
- Rest properly.
Contact your chiropractor immediately if you notice a single worrisome sign of a severe sports injury, or visit an experienced and skilled dentist in case of dental injury or damage. Timely medical information, diagnosis, and assistance can save your kids from a lot of trauma and pain.