For the most part, sport is a usually enjoyable and normally a safe pastime, but of course, there may be
occasions when someone gets injured while shooting some hoops or spiking a ball, and it’s useful to
know what to do when that happens. If you feel that someone else’s negligent actions caused the injury, you may wish to speak to a personal injury lawyer from Albany (or wherever it is that the accident happened) for more information – click the link.
Different types of injuries
There are so many ways you may end up hurting yourself while playing sports, and injuries can usually
be classified in two different ways: Acute – where an injury happens suddenly, or chronic – which happens over time.
Often, acute injuries will need immediate first aid, whereas chronic injuries may need some maintenance and more long-term treatment, perhaps by a specialist such as a physiotherapist like this physio richmond or a chiropractor.
Know how to perform first aid
Everyone should endeavor to have a basic knowledge of first aid, especially if you regularly partake in
sports and other activities where there is a chance of injury.
If someone is bleeding, you are going to want to apply firm pressure with some material to stem the flow,
and if the wound is on a limb, and they are able, encourage them to raise it above their heart.
If you believe that someone may have sprained their ankle or wrist while playing, apply ice to the injury
and again, encourage elevation. Rest is also essential when it comes to sprains and strains, and where
possible, use a bandage for compression to support the injured joint.
If someone is hit on the head while playing a sport, they may end up being knocked unconscious, which
can be quite scary to see. If they are still breathing, and you don’t think that they have a spinal injury, roll them onto their side, and keep assessing their pulse. If they don’t start responding within one minute, you’re going to want to call the emergency services for more support.
Some chronic injuries will also require being on the treatment table for a lengthy period or even going under the knife. For example, suppose you are experiencing severe pain in your hip that doesn’t seem to go away even with the help of medication and physiotherapy. In that case, you may be experiencing an arthritic hip. In most cases, the best solution will be to undergo hip replacement surgery. However, some patients may find a partial hip replacement surgery to be a more appropriate solution, depending on the extent of the hip damage. Either way, this option usually offers a more reliable and permanent solution.
Protecting injuries
Once you have injured a part of your body, it can be a real fear that too much strain on it could cause the
same damage to happen again. Of course, you don’t want this to stop you from enjoying playing sports,
so there are some things you can do to avoid reinjury, such as wearing sports tape or protective padding,
and always listening to your body. It’s okay to ease yourself back into playing, gradually.
Never be afraid to call 911 if you feel that someone needs urgent medical attention. It’s pretty rare, and
the chances are that most sports injuries will simply require rest, elevation, and icing, but accidents do
happen.
Always wear the appropriate safety equipment when you are partaking in sport, and try not to get so
caught up in the game that you end up injured! Good luck!