×

Sports injuries a danger

The air is getting slightly cooler at night and fall sports seasons are upon us. This is an exciting time when the kids are back at school and most nights have some sporting activity to attend.

With fall sports seasons come a rush of injuries. Most of these are minor and include sprains and bruises. Simple first aid provides all the care needed for most of these injuries. Specifically, ice, elevation, and rest are always the first line of defense.

If there is obvious deformity, or if athletic trainers or coaches have a concern about a fracture or severe injury, the athlete should be taken to their family doctor, an emergency room, or urgent care center to be evaluated with x-rays to rule out a fracture.

If a fracture is identified, or if the injury fails to improve, a referral to an orthopedic surgeon should be initiated. Thankfully, most sports injuries are minor and allow a return to play in one to several days.

There are several specific more serious injuries. The knee can be injured during falls, cutting, twisting, or pivoting activities. Sometimes the athlete will feel a pop and then fall to the ground and be unable to return to play.

Whenever an effusion or “water on the knee” occurs, the player should be referred to an orthopedic surgeon for evaluation to rule out meniscal or ACL tear. The meniscus is a crescent moon, wedge shaped structure, which acts as a stabilizer as well as shock absorber within the knee. When people talk about a torn cartilage, this is most commonly what they are describing.

When an athlete has a tear, they usually have swelling, pain, catching, and popping. Occasionally, a knee will lock and be unable to come out to full extension. Initial treatment is similar to a sprain.

However, if there is strong suspicion and/or symptoms do not improve, the diagnosis is confirmed by physical exam, MRI, and/or arthroscopy. This requires a miniature TV camera to be introduced into the joint.

In a young athletic population, many of these tears are repairable. The torn part can be stitched back to the remaining meniscus, preserving normal structure. This again is done with a miniature TV camera and is comparable to building a ship in a bottle.

Once the athlete has healed, they may resume normal play.

The other common, more major knee injury is an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear. When this occurs, the athlete usually feels a pop and is unable to return to play. They will have immediate swelling and should be assessed by a medical provider acutely. These usually require reconstruction as well to allow return to normal sporting activities.

Another serious injury that can occur, especially in contact sports, is a shoulder dislocation. When this happens, the shoulder is jerked backwards and the humeral head comes out of place to the front of the shoulder.

This can occur during contact or from a fall. It is extremely painful and usually results in the inability to use the arm. Sometimes there is nerve damage.

The athlete normally requires a trip to the emergency room for reduction to put the joint back into proper alignment. They should then be referred for an orthopedic surgeon’s evaluation. When the shoulder dislocates, the anterior labrum, or lip at the front of the shoulder, usually tears off and often will need a surgical repair.

Sports are an important part of growing up and community life, but can be associated with injuries.

It is important that athletes, coaches, athletic trainers, and families recognize which injuries are minor and can be successfully treated with home care versus more serious that require specialized evaluation and even surgery for a successful recovery and return to sports.

This vigilance will help prevent permanent damage from the injury, which could lead to arthritis at an early age.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

Starting at $3.92/week.

Subscribe Today