Participating in sports is a popular way to maintain your health through exercise and group activity. Exercise is essential for your overall health. It can reduce stress and strengthen your joints, bones, and heart. Unfortunately, injuries can occur while partaking in these activities. Whether you've become overzealous with your routine or simply forgot to use the proper safety equipment, it's common to be injured while doing simple activities.
The most common sports injuries are strains, sprains, tendinosis, and stress fractures. When a person accidentally twists or overextends a joint, the muscles and tendons can tear. Overextending these muscles can cause a strain. If the ligament tears, it can result in a severe sprain. Tendinosis (overuse syndrome) happens when certain joints in the body are overused. When these parts become overworked, pain and dysfunction are the result. Tennis Elbow and Golfer's Elbow are great examples of tendinosis. Stress fractures (also known as fatigue fractures) are another injury commonly seen related to sports injuries. These fractures happen when there is a large amount of weight being placed on a bone. It is extremely common with beginner runners who start off at a higher level than advised.
In order to diagnose an existing injury that you may have, x-rays or MRIs may be necessary. X-rays can help identify any bone issues and misalignments. And MRIs help rule out fractures while allowing doctors to find soft-tissue injuries. Applying ice and heat, as well as elevating and resting the injured limb is helpful in most cases to help reduce pain and inflammation as the tissue heals. The most important thing to know is how sports injuries can be prevented. Educating yourself on proper warm-up and cool down techniques, sufficient water intake, and proper movements can help reduce the possibility of sports injuries.
If you've been injured while playing sports, a chiropractor at Giles Chiropractic may be able to help you recover from your injury, depending on your condition. Call Giles Chiropractic in Napa at (707) 251-9363 to schedule an appointment today.