Sports Injuries: Types, Treatment and Prevention

How do I take care of myself after a sports injury?

If you get hurt during physical activity, stop playing or exercising immediately. You can cause more harm if you keep going.

Most minor sports injuries get better in a few days with the RICE method:

• Rest: Don’t use the injured area for a few days. If you injured your lower body, consider using crutches so you don’t put your weight on the injured area.
• Ice: Put ice or cold packs on the injured area to reduce pain and swelling (for example, 15 to 20 minutes every four hours).
• Compression: Wrap the injured area in an elastic bandage to provide support and reduce swelling. Make sure it’s snug, but not so tight that it hurts or cuts off blood circulation.
• Elevation: Prop up your injured body part, if possible above the level of your heart, to rest it and reduce swelling. Use a pillow or something similar to keep the injury above your heart.

You also might consider taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen or naproxen.

As you start to feel better, go back to sports and other activities slowly. Make sure you can move the area without pain or stiffness. This will help ensure that you don’t injure yourself again or make the injury worse.

When should I seek medical attention for a sports injury?

Even though many sports injuries can be treated at home, you should seek medical attention for:

• Pain that interferes with movement and doesn’t get better over time.
• Massive swelling that doesn’t slowly decrease.
• Extreme bruising or bleeding.
• Inability to use the injured area.
• Obvious deformity, such as your leg bending in the wrong direction.

What can I ask my healthcare provider about my sports injury?

Here are some questions you can ask your healthcare provider to better understand your specific injury:

• What treatments do I need?
• Should I apply heat, ice or both?
• Should I take pain medications? How much and how often?
• How long will this take to heal?
• Will the injured area heal back to normal?
• When can I participate in sports and other physical activities again?
• Do I need physical therapy?
• What can I do to prevent re-injury?

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Exercise and sports are important to good health, but they often lead to injuries. Many common, minor sports injuries can be treated at home with rest and other strategies. But seek medical attention if pain, swelling, bruising or inability to use the injured area doesn’t get better in a few hours or days.