Sports injuries
Causes of sports injuries
Common causes for sports injuries can be:
- Accidents, such as a fall or heavy blow
- Fail to warm up properly before starting to exercise
- Operating inappropriate equipment or lack of proper technique
- Testing yourself too hard
Almost all parts of the gets injured; the bones, muscles, joints, and connective tissues (tendons and ligaments). The ankles and knees are especially prone to injury.
Signs of sports injuries
The symptoms of a sports injury rely on the type of injury you encounter.
Common symptoms include:
- Discomforts, pain, or tenderness
- Decreased range of motion
- Stiffness or weakness
- Deformity
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Grinding, cracking, clicking, or popping noise
- Warm under-skin tone
- Can’t stand upright
- Trouble moving a body part comfortably
Treatments
Stop exercising if you feel discomfort; continuing to exercise while undergoing injury may cause additional damage and slow down your recovery.
You are not usually required to see a doctor for a minor injury and can take self-care measures at home. However, you may want to visit a doctor if you face intractable pain or discomfort; they may refer you to physiotherapy.
You can treat common minor injuries yourself by:
- Resting the affected part for the first forty-eight to seventy-two hours to control further damage
- Regularly applying a cold compress to the affected area during the first forty-eight to seventy-two hours to lessen the swelling
- Using painkillers, like paracetamol or ibuprofen, to relieve your pain
For personalized advice and support tailored to your health needs, consider our free doctor consultation service, where you can connect with experienced professionals ready to assist you.
Reviewed by – Dr. Priyanka, MBBS MD Microbiology
Page last reviewed: 04 October 2022