It’s great to be physically active and to enjoy a sport such as tennis, running or basketball. However, sports enthusiasts run the risk of injuries, many of which can sideline an individual indefinitely. Let’s discuss some common sports injuries, how you can prevent them and what treatments your sports medicine doctor may employ to get you moving again.
Sports Injuries Which Affect People of All Ages
Sports injuries can occur suddenly with a fall, hard twist or impact. These acute injuries include dislocations, fractures, sprains, strains and more. Chronic injuries develop more slowly over time due to overuse of an extremity, wearing away of cartilage, damaging inflammation and poor training regimens.
For instance, a chronic injury may develop because a person:
- Does not warm up or stretch before a workout or game
- Uses incorrect sports techniques which strains connective tissues
- Is overweight and in poor physical condition (the weekend warrior who trains hard but infrequently)
- Wears old, worn out or ill-fitting sports gear
- Does the same sport and/or sports-related movements all the time and does not cross train in other activities
- Does not allow enough recovery time between workouts, games or training
- Is poorly hydrated
Symptoms of Sports Injuries
Symptoms of sports injuries vary from person to person and depend on the health, age and the physical condition of the individual and the circumstances which may have precipitated the injury. Symptoms of sports injuries to the upper extremities can include:
- Swelling
- Inability to bear weight or to use the affected extremity
- Redness
- Tenderness
- Joint or bone deformity
- Pain
The Most Common Sports Injuries in the Upper Extremities
Our orthopedic surgeons see a wide array of sports injuries which affect the fingers, hand, wrist, elbow, shoulder and upper and lower arm. Here are four of the most common ones and their treatment options.
Mallet Finger
Common with baseball and softball players, mallet finger is an injury of the extensor tendon in any finger, including the thumb. This tendon straightens the finger, but with sudden or repeated impacts, the tendon becomes dysfunctional, causing pain, swelling and bending at the first joint.
Splinting and rest are the most common treatments, but severe cases may require surgical repair. To prevent recurrence, be sure to follow your provider’s care plan, including wearing the splint for the entire recommended time.
Rotator Cuff Tear
Our team frequently sees and treats tears to the rotator cuff, the shoulder structure composed of four muscles and their associated tendons which move the arm through complex movements such as lifting, reaching and throwing.
In this type of shoulder injury, both the muscles and tendons in the rotator cuff can fray or tear with repeated overuse, a fall or a collision. The symptoms of this injury may not be obvious at first but can develop into:
- Pain at the front of the shoulder
- Stiffness
- Weakness
- Inability to lift the arm
- A snapping noise when attempting to move the arm
Treatment for most rotator cuff injuries involves rest, a sling to stabilize the joint and physical therapy. Tears need surgical repair.
Shoulder Dislocation
A sudden hard blow to the shoulder or a fall during a game can quickly and painfully force the upper arm bone, or humerus, out of the glenoid, or shoulder socket. This injury causes pain, joint deformity and inability to raise the arm.
To treat a dislocated shoulder, the orthopedic specialist will manually move the arm into alignment with the shoulder socket and push it back into its normal position. Some people require a sedative or anesthesia for this procedure. Function should return and pain decrease right away.
However, many people continue with a simple immobilizing sling and physical therapy afterwards. In rarer cases, when the muscles and tendons of the shoulder also have been damaged, surgery repairs a dislocated shoulder.
Golfer’s Elbow
Also called medial epicondylitis, golfer’s elbow stretches and strains the tendons of the forearm at their insertion point at the elbow. Swinging a golf club or simple overuse of the forearm muscles can cause this painful condition.
Fortunately, most cases of golfer’s elbow recover well with rest, icing and splinting. If these treatments do not work well, arthroscopic surgery on the affected tendon may be the best option for long-term relief.
Preventing Sports Injuries
One of the best ways to avoid sports injuries is to choose an activity appropriate for your age and physical condition. The very young and the senior population should avoid contact sports.
Whatever activity you do choose, learn to do it with proper technique, and wear the right equipment and protective gear. Improve your physical endurance and strength gradually, and when you feel tired or in pain, rest. Hydration is important as well.
Finally, stretch, warmup and cool down. Don’t just jump right into strenuous activity. And finally, vary your training routines, giving muscle groups and joints time to rest and recover.
Sports Medicine Doctors in Baltimore, MD
At Greater Chesapeake Hand to Shoulder, our team of board-certified and fellowship-trained physicians offer the most up to date assessments and treatments for sport-related injuries and conditions of the upper extremities. If you have an orthopedic injury to the hand, shoulder, elbow, wrist or arm, please get the medical attention you need right away. We have fully equipped and staffed locations near Baltimore, including Bel Air, Lutherville, Clarksville, Pasadena and Westminster, MD.
Please call our office team for a consultation: (410) 255-6232, or request your visit online. We want to help you get moving comfortably again.
