Sports (or sports) refers to any form of generally competitive physical activity that, through organised or casual competition, attempt to use, develop or maintain personal physical prowess and/or skills for the benefit of participants, often providing entertainment to spectators, and occasionally, competitors. The importance of sport or sports in our modern day life can never be underestimated. From the game of squash and rugby to the multi-sport Olympic games, we take part in sports and participate in the physical aspects of such activities as a method of achieving self-improvement, physical conditioning or to simply have fun. However, we often forget that sports are not just about the physical aspect of the activity but also involves many other elements as well. These other aspects include mental aspects of the game, preparation and motivation as well as the sport’s management.
As part of the responsibilities of a sports medicine healthcare provider, the role is to ensure that sport related injuries are appropriately managed. For instance, if a sprained ankle is treated conservatively with a few days rest and icing, it will take at least a week for the ankle to heal but if it is re-injured while playing sports, it may take a little longer to heal. A professional sports medicine healthcare provider will therefore need to look at all the factors that could cause the injury to occur. He will need to identify the cause of the problem which could stem from the participant’s original physical activity or from some form of trigger such as an increased level of stress placed on the joint. The sport involved could also be a contributory factor.
In addition to looking at the cause of the problem, the sports medicine healthcare provider will look at how the injury has developed. There are two main areas which this is done. Firstly, he will take the history of the injury to assess any trauma that may have occurred as a result of the event. For example, a sprained ankle will heal more quickly if the injured ligaments were not inflamed in the first place and could have remained undamaged had they not been torn. Secondly, he will want to assess the extent of the damage.
Some injuries will heal more quickly than others, depending on the severity. This can make it difficult to know when you need to begin treatment. A common example of this is a sprained ankle. Most sports medicine healthcare providers will recommend the player be protected until the swelling has gone down and he or she is able to start practicing. They will then give the player some advice on what to do next and if there is still some soreness left, a period of rest may be advised.
Many injuries, however, will take longer to heal and for them to get better, the appropriate amount of time will need to be taken into consideration. This may involve taking more time off from work, resting completely and in extreme cases, possibly physiotherapy to relieve the pain. This type of injury should always be fully checked by a doctor and a suitable course of treatment discussed before taking any action.
If your child has suffered an injury as a result of playing sports, the important thing to remember is that they can recover with the help of a number of different sports medicine treatments. This will depend on the severity of the injury as well as the cause. The earlier that the injury is attended to, the quicker the recovery and rehabilitation will be. If you feel that your child has been injured as a result of playing contact sports, it is important to talk to a local sports doctor who can give him advice on how best to support them and how to recover from their injuries.