Injuries
Although sports and exercise programs offer numerous benefits, there is always the risk of
injury. Athletes physically strengthen and condition their bodies with the hope of avoiding injuries
but unfortunately this does not always prevent them from occurring. Every sport or activity
presents different risks of injury. Regardless of the type of injury, evaluation and treatment by a
professional must take place as soon as possible after the injury has occurred. This evaluation
should include an inspection, physical exam, and if necessary, diagnostic testing such as x-ray,
CT scan, MRI, or NCV/EMG. The time between the injury and seeking professional help will
play a vital role in the athlete’s recovery. The more time that passes between the onset of injury
and treatment, the higher the risk of further damaging the affected tissue(s), lengthening and
complicating the time of recovery.
This is even the case in minor injuries, or aches and pains that one might experience as a
result of their sport or activity. It is important to listen to one’s body. Pain is an alert mechanism
of the brain to let one know that there is a problem somewhere in the body. Therefore, pain
should be immediately addressed, and athletes should not be encouraged to play or train through
pain without it being professionally addressed.
There are many different types of injuries that can occur. A large portion of athletic injuries
cause damage to the soft tissues of the body. Soft tissue injuries affect muscles, fascia, tendons
and ligaments, which all control and protect the joints. There are two types of soft tissue injuries,
closed and open. A closed injury occurs when the soft tissue has been damaged, but the surface
of the skin has not been broken. An example of a closed injury would be an ankle sprain. An open
injury is the same as a closed injury except for the fact that it involves a break in the skin. An
example of an open injury is a cut or scrape.
Inflammation will infiltrate the affected area, and following this, fibrosis will occur, creating
scar tissue adhesions. These adhesions will not develop along the normal fiber patterns of the
affected soft tissues. Instead they will form random patterns, not in accordance with these
normal patterns. They may develop within the actual fibers of a particular tissue, or between
different tissues all together. This will create restrictions in the function, or range of motion, that
will alter movement patterns and biomechanics. As a result, other tissues will have to do extra
work in order to compensate for this lack of function, and over time, may become overloaded
themselves. Soft tissue dysfunction may also contribute to degenerative processes in the future.
This creates a cyclic pattern of dysfunction and injury that can be avoided by seeking immediate
attention.
Strains and sprains are common closed injuries that occur during sports and exercise
programs. A strain is a tear in the muscle or tendon fibers. A sprain will stretch or tear ligaments,
but not cause a dislocation of the accompanying joint. Both can be categorized as mild, moderate
or severe. There are characteristics that help indicate the severity of the injury such as pain,
temperature, redness and swelling. In addition to these, there may also be a loss of function, or
range of motion.