It might be exciting to lead an active lifestyle and be part of several sports, but these can expose you to injury. Some of them might even have long-lasting consequences. If you ever suffer from a sports injury, then you need to consult with a doctor immediately. It would be best if you also learned more about them so that you know how to face their long-term effects better. Here are some that you might face.
Sciatica
Sciatica is the pain you experience when something injures or inflames your sciatic nerve. This is the long nerve that starts from your buttocks and goes all the way to the bottom of your feet. This is the longest and thickest nerve in the body. It means that any injury in this area can trigger sciatica. Additionally, it can affect weightlifters who do not have the proper form. Sciatica usually manifests itself in sharp or shooting jolts of pain in the affected area. The usual way to treat it is to get some painkillers. But if the pain is chronic, then a visit to a pain clinic might be needed. They can give physical therapy and even suggest other treatment options.
ACL Injury
One of the nastiest sports injuries you can experience is an ACL injury. This is a tear or a sprain to your anterior cruciate ligament. This is the tissue that connects your thigh bone to your shin bone. It allows your knee to stay stable, so it is understandable why this injury often happens when you are landing or changing direction. The result can be that your knee starts swelling and cannot bear any weight in the long term. If you hear a popping sound coming from your knees while playing sports, then you likely have an ACL injury. Prompt treatment with rest and icing should help deal with the pain, but it is not enough. You’ll need to go to the hospital to see how bad the damage is. Depending on the results, you might need physical therapy or even surgery.
Tennis Elbow
A tennis elbow is what most people call the inflammation of the muscles in the elbow region. This is mostly from overuse. People usually associate it with tennis because the sport has players use their elbow to wind up for the great slams on the court. But it is not just tennis where people can experience it. Volleyball and other games that use the forearms can result in the same damage. The usual symptom is pain, but also a weaker grip is another effect. Immediate treatment is necessary. This usually involves rest and some medication. Leaving it alone will result in long-term injuries. Physical therapy and other nonsurgical treatments should be enough to help with it, but sometimes people need surgery to recover from a tennis elbow fully.
Fractures
Highly intense sports can put you at risk of bone injuries. Contact sports like American football and rugby can lead to fractures. Additionally, falling and slipping in other sports can also lead to fractures. Depending on the severity of the fracture, several options are available. There are minor fractures that are technically only cracks on the bone. They are still bad, but they can be easily handled. As long as you get treatment, then the bone heals on its own. This usually involves casts and immobilizing the damaged area. More severe fractures can involve open wounds and massive breaks. These will require surgery and maybe even implants. Rehabilitation will also be necessary.
Sprains
Muscle sprains may seem like minor injuries, but they are a warning sign of something much worse. Sprains mean that there is a lot of stress on the muscles. If you do not do anything about it, then the stress might lead to tears which are more permanent injuries. Those will require surgery to heal. A sprain should be left to naturally heal as much as possible before more stress is put on it. This is done by using braces to support the muscle. This reduces the strain on it. Additionally, it would help if you were not using the muscle at all as it recovers.
These are just some injuries that you might face. No matter how careful you are, you will end up injuring yourself in sports. Contact sports can be very demanding, and even non-confrontational sports like running or golf can end up injuring you if you push too hard. It is always a good idea to know more about how to take care of yourself to properly recover from anything that happens on the field.
