Regardless of your sport or the level that you are playing at, sustaining injuries are part and parcel of sport. So getting help early and having a focused strategy for recovery is important if you want to return to your sport as fast as possible.
Dr Gowreeson Thevendran, an orthopaedic surgeon at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital, shares more about how to achieve a faster recovery after sustaining a sport injury.
Injuries are part and parcel of sport.
Prevention
According to the doctor, many sports injuries are sustained as a result of a lack of warm up or not warming up properly. Warm up can include stretching exercises or light jogging.
Use RICE Method
But if you are already injured and seeking a solution, the doctor recommends the RICE method – this stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation.
Putting ice helps to alleviate the swelling and redness within the first 48-72 hours after sustaining an injury, helps to control inflammation and aids the healing process.
Immobilise the area
Immobilising the area with a splint or a brace also helps, to give the injured part complete rest. Continuing to use the aggravated body part may result in an acute injury developing into a chronic one that does not heal properly.
After the initial inflammation has settled, early movement of the joint to restore a full range of movement is critical, but this is best done under the supervision of a qualified specialist.
Get a proper diagnosis
If the injury does not heal after two weeks of self treatment, it is best to seek the opinion of a specialist. A thorough clinical examination including x-rays and scans can target the rehabilitation strategy and speed up the rate of recovery without complications arising.
Get a proper diagnosis.
Regaining muscle strength
If there is still pain, weakness or muscle imbalance after treatment, this must be addressed before making a full return to the sport.
A specialist can supervise you at this, by doing resistance training, which improves balance, reflex control and endurance in the injured tissues.
Supplements
To help the body along in its road to recovery, take protein rich foods such as meat and fish, to enhance the body’s muscle building process.
Take citrus fruits and dark green vegetables too, as these produce collagen that rebuilds tissues and has anti inflammatory properties.
Omega 3 fatty aids also limit excess inflammation, thus speeding up recovery rate as well.
For bone injuries, calcium rich foods such as milk and dairy products are important.
For more information…
This article was brought to you by the Mount Elizabeth Hospitals Group.
For more information, visit https://www.mountelizabeth.com.sg/healthplus/article/fastest-ways-to-heal-a-sports-injury-a-medical-perspective.
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