First Aid for Sports Injuries

So, you’re out and about doing what you love and the dreaded happens…what to do next?

 

For acute (new) injuries, the treatment is RICE, known also as PRICE

 

P     =     Protect

 

R     =     Rest

 

I      =     Ice

 

C     =     Compression

 

E     =     Elevation

 

To protect, you may need  to bandage, tape the injury or get away from further potential injuries.  Rest involves not engaging in activity that exacerbates symptoms, but allows you to be as mobile as is comfortably possible – this prevents the injury worsening and, by contrast, stops the injured area/limb from stiffening.  Ice helps reduce inflammation and the impending swelling.  Check out my previous blog on icing – there are rules to follow and things to be aware of.  In short do not ice for too long, don’t get ice burn and don’t ice the entire way around a limb.  If it’s gone red, you’ve iced for too long and you are negating the benefits of icing.  Compression helps to limit swelling and this can be achieved by using tubigrip or a conforming bandage.  First aid courses will teach you how to apply a conforming bandage safely and effectively.  Practise is key – do so on whatever you can find.  Having sat British Horse Society exams, most of my bandaging skills were more finely developed on our equine friends!  Elevation, above heart level if possible, helps with venous return and stops fluid pooling below or near sites of injury.

 

St John Ambulance do wonderful First Aid courses and supplies

 

What are the characteristics of an acute injury?

The injury will be painful – to touch and during movement.  This may result from injury to nerve fibres.  Redness will be present because of the large amount of blood in the area.  There will be swelling, once again due to the large amount of blood to the area and vasodilation (widening of the blood vessels) enhancing the affects.  There will be heat at the site of the injury due to the large amount of blood in the area.  There are exceptions to this, but these are the most common symptoms of acute (new) injuries.

Sprains are associated with trauma to ligaments.  There are different grades of trauma, from the lower to the higher.  A low grade trauma will involve slight tearing and milder symptoms.  The mid-grade tears will demonstrate higher levels of pain, swelling and incapacity.  The higher levels of trauma will show joint instability, may involve ligament/bone damage and will need surgical repair.  Remember ligaments hold bone to bone.  Sports that involve twisting and turning quickly, such as skiing, can tear ligaments in the knee joints.

Strains involve muscle tissue.  Tendons are the attachments of muscle to bone.  The damage can be significant and require surgical repair.  Sports that involve quick acceleration and stopping can often cause the Achilles tendon to completely snap apart – I have seen this happen to many people in squash and football.  Tears can occur to muscle fibres too.  Lower grade tears involve swelling and trauma.  Higher grade tears involve inability to move the muscle and complete loss of strength.  Remember that in weightlifting muscle is built via microscopic trauma to the muscle tissue.

Bruising is bleeding within the soft tissue.  Essential oils such as lavender are good for treating bruises. 

Grazes must be cleaned.  Saline solution pods are great for this as they can be squirted on to the graze to dislodge grit.  Sports cap water bottles can be used in a similar manner.

Broken toe nails need to be trimmed and taped up.  Micropore tape is great for this as it has low adhesion and is less likely to rip off the nail when it is removed.

Blisters can be made more comfortable with compede type blister plasters.  Gaffer tape can be used as a cheaper and versatile alternative – place a piece over the blister (non-adhesive side facing blister) and then tape in place.  First aid texts tell you not to pop as germs can enter the otherwise sterile area. 

Mobility must be encouraged when the injury is a few days old and is now deemed as a chronic (longer term injury).  Move carefully as those new tissue fibres are shockingly fragile.  Use pain as your guide.  Remember that a balance needs to be found between rest and healing, and mobility and not stiffening up.  Muscle wastage can occur through long term incapacity and range of movement can become limited.

Acute is the term for new injuries.

Chronic is the term for long-term, or longer-term injuries.  You move from acute to chronic classification after a few days.

Proprioception is about balance and coordination (coordination is skill related). It allows us to perform movements with efficiency.   It is the mechanism that the body uses to sense stretch, pressure, tension and the position of body parts.  When a limb is traumatised, proprioception is compromised and needs to be stimulated.  Proprioception can be developed via use of the wobble board, the balance board, throwing and catching exercises, the gym ball, via simple balancing exercises and the mini trampoline.  Have you ever injured one of your legs?  Help me with an experiment.  Stand up.  Practise standing on one leg at a time.  Stand on your non-injured leg first – what’s your balance like?  Now stand on your injured leg – can you see a difference?  Are you swaying more when standing on the damaged leg?  Are you shaking more on this side?  Perhaps your leg even feels weaker?  Get the wobble board out and readdress the balance!

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Remember that good training practises can help to minimise the likelihood of injuries.  Find a reputable coach to help you train safely.

Bye for now from your dedicated sports massage therapist, Eva