How to Manage an Acute Sport Injury at Home and Further Treatment Options
An acute sport injury is devastating and frustrating when it happens and often the injury results in time off from playing sport. When you experience an injury, correct management after the injury will have you back to playing the sport you love as soon as possible.
Knowing how to look after an injury until you can seek further medical attention will help the healing process. Sport injuries occur in all types of sport as a result of muscle strains, overuse or knocks.
Here is all you need to know about the management of acute sport injuries.
What Is an Acute Sport Injury?
An acute sport injury happens during any type of sport. These injuries can be the result of an accident, improper training, over-use, or pushing your body past its limit. During sporting activities, especially contact sport, any part of your body can get injured.
However, sport injuries commonly affect the musculoskeletal system. This system involves your bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Acute injuries may vary in intensity depending on the incident. These injuries can range from a mild injury such as a small bruise to a severe injury such as a fractured bone.
When experiencing an acute sport injury, you will feel sudden severe pain in the area of the injury.
However, often during sport, you won’t feel the pain immediately because of adrenaline, and other feel-good hormones that are released with exercise. In these cases, it is important to listen to the medical professionals who assess you during the game.
Common Sport Injuries
The common injuries that occur during sport include ankle sprains, knee pain (due to a ligament or muscle strain), shoulder injuries, and less commonly, fractured bones. Dislocations of joints can also occur during contact sport.
The common injuries happen from any sport including cricket, tennis, netball, water polo, golf, squash, and rugby. The likelihood of an injury occurring during sport depends on how you train and take care of your body when preparing for matches.
Contact sport such as rugby often leads to concussion injuries which require immediate medical attention. Concussions lead to dizziness, blurred vision, nausea, and vomiting after a knock to the head. In the case of a suspected concussion, you should go to a doctor immediately.
Difference Between a Strain and a Sprain
When injured while playing a sport, it is often a sprain or a strain that occurs to the musculoskeletal system.
A sprain happens when the connecting ligaments between bones are affected. This injury is likely to occur from an improper warm-up or a sudden awkward twist or movement. Symptoms of sprains include bruising, swelling, pain around the affected area, and limited flexibility.
A strain happens when the muscles or tendons are affected. This injury often occurs in the hamstrings (at the back of your thighs) or your lower back.
Symptoms of strains also include swelling, pain around the affected area, and limited flexibility. However, when an area is strained, muscle spasms usually occur which helps distinguish a strain from a sprain.
When to Seek Urgent Medical Attention
In most cases, you will be able to take care of an injury using home management methods and physiotherapy. However, in some cases, it is necessary to go to the emergency room after a severe injury.
If you notice any of these symptoms, seek urgent medical attention.
● You can’t move the injured area at all
● You can’t stand up or walk
● You feel severe and debilitating pain around the injured area
● Your limb is hanging or twisted in an incorrect position
● There is excessive swelling and bruising that appears immediately (this may indicate a muscle or ligament tear)
● Any concussion symptoms are evident (blurred vision, dizziness, nausea, or vomiting after a head injury)
Treatment Solutions for an Acute sport Injury
While many injuries may not seem severe enough to seek medical attention, they usually require a full recovery plan. To start, most injuries can be managed at home using short-term treatment solutions.
After the initial period of management, it is important to follow a structured recovery plan with the help of a physiotherapist. While many sporting individuals want to get back to playing their sport as soon as possible, this is not advised. Allowing the injury to heal completely, beyond when the pain has subsided and it “feels” better, is important.
Short-term Home Management for Acute Sport Injuries
At home, after the injury has occurred, use the POLICE method to care for the injury. This method was previously known as R.I.C.E, R.I.C.E.R, and then P.R.I.C.E.R. However, the latest research suggests that the POLICE method is the most effective way to manage acute injuries at home.
The POLICE Method
The POLICE method should be used at home after an injury and throughout the recovery process. Certain elements of this method should be directed by a medical professional to prevent further injury.
Follow the POLICE method by doing the below actions following an acute injury.
Protect: Protect the injured area by reducing the amount of load on the injury or by limiting movement. This can be achieved by using a crutch or cane to ease the pressure placed on a leg or ankle injury. You could also use a sling or brace for arm and wrist injuries.
Only add these measures with the advice of a physiotherapist or doctor. Incorrectly using these interventions can worsen the injury.
While protecting the injury can also be an adequate amount of rest, this step doesn’t mean complete immobilization. This management solution reduces the chance of further injury to the area while the body is in the healing process.
Optimal Loading: Optimal loading is the main difference from the R.I.C.E.R method, which is crucial to reduce the recovery time after an injury. Optimal loading refers to slowly increasing movement of the injured area to prevent muscle atrophy or tightness.
Optimal loading should only be done with the help of a medical professional. With the help of a physiotherapist, optimal loading may include gently moving your injured limb within a range that is tolerable without pain or you may be advised to activate the muscles against resistance. This movement will be increased as the area becomes more flexible.
In severe cases, where surgery is warranted, optimal loading will be determined by post-surgical guidelines and protocols as directed by your surgeon and physiotherapist.
Ice: Ice is necessary to manage inflammation that occurs after an injury. If there is slight swelling and bruising, ice will help reduce the pain and inflammation. Apply an ice pack for 15 minutes at a time for the first three days after an injury.
Compression: Compressing the area of injury will help reduce the swelling and encourage drainage of the area. Compression can be done by wrapping an injury in a bandage. This should only be done with directions from a medical professional or by a qualified first aider or paramedic.
Elevation: Elevation helps the healing process by draining excess fluid build-up. Limiting the fluid build-up creates an environment conducive to healing, and reduced swelling will result in
reduced discomfort. Ankle and knee injuries can be elevated by placing your leg on pillows while lying down. Elevating wrist and elbow injuries may require a sling.
Pain Relief With OTC Medications
Following an acute injury, you can relieve pain using paracetamol-based analgesics. Avoid cortisone anti-inflammatories and only use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) from about 72 hours after an injury has occurred.
Early use of NSAIDs will hinder inflammation and blood flow which is necessary for the first phase of healing. In the first 72 hours, use ice & elevation to manage the inflammation while still allowing the body to naturally heal itself.
After 72 hours, NSAIDs such as ibuprofen and naproxen may be used for pain management.
How to Fully Recovery From an Acute Sport Injury
To fully recover from an acute sports injury, medical assistance is required. More often than not, a physiotherapist will be able to assist with the healing process. A biokineticist may be needed after physiotherapy, and in some cases, surgery is required.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapists are seen as primary care providers for acute sport injuries. This means you can visit a physiotherapist to diagnose a sport injury, without a referral from your GP. To assist you with recovery from an acute sport injury, a physiotherapist will carry out the necessary medical interventions needed to promote healing.
During your sessions, your physiotherapist will promote active therapy, including certain exercises to continue with at home. However, you may receive a combination of passive therapy, which is when the physiotherapist works on the affected area, and active therapy in the first few sessions, depending on the severity of your injury.
Your physiotherapist can assist you every step of the way, from the acute injury phase right through to your full return to sport. Physiotherapists may work together with a biokineticist to help you reach full and optimal recovery.
Surgery
In severe cases, surgery is required to allow for full recovery from an injury. Usually, if surgery is necessary, you will have symptoms that require immediate medical assistance. Surgery is usually only required in cases where complicated fractures are sustained or in the case of a complete ligament or muscle tear.
You will still receive physiotherapy throughout the process from pre-operative preparation right through to your return to sport. The time it takes to return to sport will be delayed as healing times need to be respected and surgical protocols need to be followed.
How to Prevent Further Sport Injuries
If you have injured yourself in the past or simply want to prevent any sport injuries, follow these tips.
● Warm-up adequately before training or exercising. This involves simple full-body movements or dynamic stretches and stretches.
● Condition your body appropriately before placing yourself in a competitive situation.
● Don’t overexert yourself during training or exercises. If you have been injured, give your body time to heal, rest, and recover properly.
● Always listen to your body. If you feel pain or discomfort at any time during training or
playing a sport, take a break. Stretch your muscles and don’t continue if you keep feeling pain.
● Give your body enough time to recover in between exercises and training sessions. This includes rest days during the week based on your level of activity. Rest days may also include active recovery.
● Use the correct equipment when partaking in a sport. This may include the right shoes, clothing, and protective gear.
How Long Will It Take To Recover From an Acute Sport Injury?
In most cases, acute sport injuries will take between four to six weeks to fully heal. The time it takes to recover from an injury will depend on the type of injury you have. It is important to load your body to an extent based on the phase of healing you are currently in and only train to maximum capacity when you are fully recovered.
The 3 Healing Phases of an Acute Sport Injury
For uncomplicated acute injuries, the phases of healing will progress throughout four to six weeks. The three healing phases consist of the inflammatory phase, the proliferation/reparative phase, and the remodelling/maturation phase. These phases may overlap and the duration of each phase depends on your body’s healing progress.
The Inflammatory Phase
The inflammatory phase begins as soon as the injury takes place and usually lasts for four to six days. Bleeding usually occurs around the injury site, resulting in increased white blood cells necessary for healing to take place. A degree of blood clotting occurs at the site of injury to create a barrier preventing further bleeding and protects the area from further injury.
The inflammatory phase is essential in the healing process to give the body space to naturally heal. During this phase, you may experience bleeding, swelling, and bruising.
The Proliferation/Reparative Phase
The proliferation phase is the repairing phase where the body rebuilds the tissue around the injured area. This phase usually starts around four days after the injury occurs and can last up to 14 days or six weeks depending on the severity of the injury and the site of the injury.
Areas of the body that naturally have better blood flow will repair faster than the areas that don’t. During this phase, you should practice optimal loading on the area while making sure you don’t do any movements that cause excessive pain.
The Remodelling/Maturation Phase
The remodelling phase can begin two to four weeks after an injury and last for months or years depending on the severity and area of the injury. During this phase, you will need to help your body strengthen the new cells and tissue around the injured region.
Be sure to gradually increase the intensity of your training during this phase with the help of a medical professional. Correctly navigating through this phase will promote a full and healthy recovery.
Final Thoughts
An acute sport injury can be tough to manage, especially when you are not able to play the sport you love. However, making sure your body heals correctly with the help of a physiotherapist or medical professional will help you get back to training as soon as possible.
Properly managing a sport injury will also prevent future injuries that could be more severe and prevent you from training for even longer.
