Sprains are common injuries in professional athletes.
Twisting is the act and consequence of twisting or twisting . The concept is usually used in medicine to refer to what happens when an organ or limb suffers damage due to having deviated from its usual direction.
When the soft tissues around the joints are sprained, an injury known as a sprain can occur. This sprain usually causes severe pain , swelling in the area, and bruising .
Suppose a person is walking down the street and steps wrong due to an unnoticed unevenness in the road. This event causes a sprain in his ankle that prevents him from continuing to walk normally. When he returned home and took off his shoes, he noticed that his ankle became swollen and purple.
Treatment for a sprain
Treatment for sprains may include giving drugs (pain relievers, anti-inflammatories), applying water or ice , and compressing the area. In addition, it is usually suggested that the patient rest. The indications, in any case, must be provided by a doctor after observations and analysis of the case, although among the most common procedures and recommendations are the following:
- Rest, since in this way we collaborate with the healing process by leaving the affected part immobile for long periods of time.
- Applying cold water compresses to the area of the sprain to reduce pain and swelling . As mentioned above, it is possible to use ice instead of water.
- Bandage the affected area, since in this way we can considerably reduce its mobility and avoid new injuries, while promoting healing. When the problem involves a broken bone, a cast (in some countries, plaster ) must be placed and the treatment is more extensive.
- Rehabilitation by physiotherapy professionals. This is practiced in the most serious cases, since for the rest it is enough to tell the patient to perform certain exercises on their own.
- Immediately after the impact, keep the injured limb as high as possible with respect to the heart, so that the trauma does not progress. It is recommended to wait in this way for the arrival of personnel trained to treat the sprain.
If the sprain is advanced, recovery will likely require surgery as the ligaments may tear. The last stage of treatment usually includes physical therapy , with exercises that help restore normal functioning and strengthen the affected region.
Treatment for a sprain depends on the severity.
A common injury in professional sports
It should be noted that sprains are common among professional athletes . This is one of the most common injuries that force athletes to suspend their activities for a time ; sometimes for a few days, but more serious cases may require prolonged rest.
It is extremely important not to ignore doctors' instructions, to avoid potential complications, such as the emergence of permanent injuries.
Prevention of sprains
Regarding prevention , many sports experts recommend performing warm-up exercises before any practice; This significantly reduces the risk of sprains and other types of injuries. Likewise, after a sports session, stretching is advisable, so that the effort made during the session does not lead to joint congestion.
Although it may not seem so important, the use of appropriate sports clothing is another of the fundamental points to prevent sprains, since it protects the parts of the body most exposed to impacts.