What are sports injuries?
Sports injuries occur during physical activities like hiking and biking or while playing sports. Anyone can experience a sports injury, but they’re especially common in children and adolescents.
Other factors that increase your risk of suffering a sports injury include failing to warm up prior to exercise, increasing your workout regimen too quickly, and playing contact sports like hockey, rugby, or American football.
What are some common sports injuries?
Crenshaw Interventional Pain Specialists diagnoses and treats a wide range of sports injuries, including:
- Rotator cuff injuries
- Joint dislocations
- Fractures
- Strains
- Sprains
- Achilles tendon ruptures
- Swollen muscles
- Knee injuries
They also diagnose and treat broken bones, including stress fractures.
Is there any way to avoid sports injuries?
Unfortunately, there’s no way to avoid sports injuries entirely. However, there are steps you can take to significantly lower your risk. The providers at Crenshaw Interventional Pain Specialists recommend:
- Warming up before exercise
- Cooling down after exercise
- Using the proper technique
- Having the proper equipment
- Easing into activity following an injury
You can also lower your risk of sports injuries by listening to your body and not overdoing it. If you experience pain or stiffness during physical activity, don’t “push through” it. Instead, take it easy and rest.
How are sports injuries diagnosed?
To diagnose sports injuries, your Crenshaw Interventional Pain Specialists provider asks you about your initial accident or injury, conducts a physical exam, and reviews your medical history.
Depending on your symptoms, they might also ask you to perform a series of easy exercises or test your joints and limbs for pain, stiffness, and range of motion.
If these measures don’t provide enough information, your provider might also recommend diagnostic imaging with an X-ray or MRI.
How are sports injuries treated?
Crenshaw Interventional Pain Specialists usually recommends conservative, integrative treatments for sports injuries, including rest, ice, compression, and elevation (the RICE protocol), physical therapy, or changing footwear.
If these measures don’t ease your pain or improve your quality of life, you might benefit from an epidural injection, nerve block, or facet joint injection.
If you suffer a ruptured tendon or severely damage a joint, surgery may be necessary, but only as a last resort.
To request your sports injuries appointment at Crenshaw Interventional Pain Specialists today, call the office or book online.
