ID-100156919
 

Have you ever sprained your ankle playing soccer as a kid?  Step in an errant hole on the golf course?  Or maybe just took a wrong step off a curb!  Soft tissue injuries can happen during exercise, sports or even just an everyday activity. It’s important to follow steps to start recovery immediately and allow your injury to heal.  Let’s look at what a soft tissue injury is and the guidelines to how to manage them.

 

What’s a soft tissue injury?

 

The most common soft tissues injured are muscles, tendons, and ligaments. An injury can happen from overuse or acutely.  An overuse injury happens by doing the same repetitive movement over time without the proper recovery or healing time. An acute soft tissue  an suddenly happens like a fall or a twist. Injuries often occur when people suddenly increase the duration, intensity, or frequency of their activities.

 

The more common soft-tissue injuries are sprains, strains, and contusions, as well as tendinitis and bursitis.  Let’s talk a little bit about each one.

 

Sprains, strains and contusions are the common acute injuries.

 

Sprain- Common in ankles, wrists and knees, a sprain is a stretch and/or tear of a ligament which is a strong band of connective tissue that connect the end of one bone with another. Sprains are classified by grades and are based on the severity, like whether the ligament has been stretched or torn. (1)

 

Strains- A strain is an injury to a muscle and/or tendons. Tendons are fibrous cords of tissue that attach muscles to the bone. A strain can range from a stretch to a tear of the tendon. Strains often occur in your foot, leg (typically the hamstring) or back. A leg strain is common when the sport or exercise includes quick starts and jumping. A strain can also happen in the hand where there is extensive hand gripping or the elbow when there is a lot of throwing involved.

 

Contusions- A contusion is a bruise that is caused by a direct blow that crushes underlying muscle fibers and connective tissue without breaking the skin.

 

Symptoms of these injuries include pain, muscle spasms, inflammation, swelling and weakness.

 

 

Tendinitis and Bursitis are the common overuse injuries.

 

Tenditinis- Tendinitis is an inflammation or irritation of a tendon or the covering of a tendon (called a sheath). It is caused by a series of small stresses that repeatedly aggravate the tendon.

 

Bursitis Bursae are small, jelly-like sacs that are located throughout the body, including around the shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, and heel. They contain a small amount of fluid, and are positioned between bones and soft tissues, acting as cushions to help reduce friction. Bursitis is an inflammation of the bursa. (1)

 

Regardless of what type of injury you have, the initial protocol is generally the same. It is always wise to speak with your doctor, but the immediate protocol can follow the R.I.C.E method.

 

RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation

 

Rest- Take a break from using the area.

 

Ice- Cold reduces pain and swelling. You can apply ice to the area for 20 minutes every hour for the next 48-72 hours.

 

Compression-Wrapping and supporting the injury will help reduce swelling.

 

Elevation- Raise the injured area 6-10 inches above the heart while resting. This will reduce swelling.

 

After using the RICE method, your aim of treatment should be to regain full range of motion.  This can be done through specific exercises prescribed to you by a professional. It is important to strengthen the areas around your injury especially in the early stages of recovery. (3)

 

Through proper training and conditioning as well as monitoring how you increase or change the activities you are currently participating in, it is possible to prevent these common injuries.

Other tips include:

 

  • Warm up to prepare for exercise and cool down after your workout. This will help loosen muscles, joints and tendons at the beginning of the workout and allow your body to return to homeostasis after the workout.

  • Schedule days off from vigorous exercise to allow your body to recover. Listen to your body and if it feels fatigued, skip a workout.

 

If you have additional questions, or would like to start a safe and effective exercise program, contact us.

 

Disclaimer: If you are injured or recently injured you should see your doctor and follow their instructions for your recovery. We are not doctors and are relaying common guidelines.

 

References:

 

  1. “Sprains, Strains and Other Soft Tissue Injuries”. Accessed 19, October 2015. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00111
  2. “RICE Topic Overview”. Accessed 19, October 2015. WebMd. http://www.webmd.com/first-aid/tc/rest-ice-compression-and-elevation-rice-topic-overview
  3. “How to Treat an Acute Soft Tissue Injury”. Accessed 19, October 2015. Physio Works. http://physioworks.com.au/Injuries-Conditions/Treatments/soft-tissue-acute
  4. Image courtesy of artur84 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

Brent

Brent

President, Personal Training Manager at Body By Brent LLC
Brent
Brent
Brent