By Valerie Melton

news@joplinglobe.com

In any sport, the risk of injury is inevitable. However, the risk of injury can be greatly reduced simply by taking the proper preventative measures.

About 30 million children and teens participate in organized sports, according to the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford, and more than 3.5 million injuries are reported each year.

Recognizing common injuries and being aware of prevention and treatment methods are a must, according to Darrin Moore, head athletic trainer at Missouri Southern State University.

Common injuries

There are two types of injuries that are most often sustained when participating in an athletic activity.

An acute injury occurs suddenly when playing or exercising. A fractured hand, sprained ankle or strained back muscles are examples of acute injuries.

Signs of an acute injury include: sudden, severe pain; swelling; not being able to place weight on a knee, ankle or foot; or a bone or joint that is visibly out of place.

Chronic injuries, on the other hand, happen after you play a sport or exercise for an extended period of time. Signs of a chronic injury include pain when you play or exercise, a dull ache when you rest and swelling.

Prevention

Regardless of the nature of the sport, experts agree that one of the most important, and often overlooked, preventive measures an athlete can take is engaging in warm-up exercises and activities.

“Warm-up exercises, such as stretching and light jogging, can help minimize the chance of muscle strain or other soft- tissues injury during sports,” the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases reported last year. “Warm-up exercises make the body’s tissues warmer and more flexible. Cool down exercises loosen muscles that have tightened during exercise.”

In addition to warm-up exercises, health safety professionals urge all athletes to suit up with the proper safety equipment.

“Safety equipment is absolutely necessary,” said Moore. “If wearing a certain piece of equipment is recommended for a particular sport, wear it! That even includes wearing goggles while playing racquetball or a helmet while biking.”

The American Dental Association also recommends that anyone who participates in a sport where injury may occur should wear a mouth protector.

Treatment

Most athletes who experience a sprained ankle find relief by using the RICE remedy — which stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation.

Rest the injured ankle in an elevated position above the heart for an extended period of time while applying ice in increments of 20 minutes to reduce swelling. Following these measures, the ankle should be tightly wrapped using a compression sock or Ace bandage.

A pulled muscle is often a result of playing too long or too hard. Two agents needed to nurse a pulled muscle back to health include rest and ice. As with a sprained ankle, ice relaxes the muscle and helps to relieve any spasms. Similarly, it should be applied in increments of 20 minutes, as much as possible for several days after the injury occurs.

“A common misconception among the general public is treating a sprain or pulled muscle by alternating heat and ice on the injury,” said Ryan Melton, executive director of sports care at St. John’s Regional Medical Center. “Avoid putting heat on the affected area for the first 48 hours. If the pain and discomfort does not lessen or becomes more severe after a couple of days, seek medical advice.”

Moore agrees about the importance of seeking medical attention for injuries.

“If an injury is sustained, seeking the appropriate medical advice is a must,” he said. “If your child is injured during an organized sporting activity, often times their on-site certified athletic trainer can be very helpful.”

St. John’s Four State Sports Care offers free sports injury screenings to the public from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday by appointment only. For more information, call (417) 625-2811.



Signs of dehydration

* Dry, sticky mouth

* Muscle weakness

* Dizziness or lightheadedness

* Increased thirst

* Little or no urination

* Shriveled or dry skin that lacks elasticity and doesn’t “bounce back” when pinched into a fold.

Treatment: For exercise-related dehydration, cool water is your best bet. Sports drinks containing electrolytes and a carbohydrate solution also may be helpful. There’s no need for salt tablets — too much salt can lead to hypernatremic dehydration, a condition in which your body not only is short of water but also carries an excess of sodium.

Source: www.mayoclinic.com