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Many Americans enjoy sports for recreation and fitness.
The specialty of sports medicine has grown out of this
increased awareness of fitness and the injuries that result
from these physical endeavors, whether it involves the
professional athlete or the "weekend warrior".
Sprains and strains are the most common types of injuries
encountered in sports medicine. Strains often can be
treated with nothing more than a warm bath and a good
night's rest. For bumps, bruises, and muscle aches and
pains, remember RICE.
- Rest -- Give the injured body part
a time-out to recover.
- Ice -- Use cold packs (not heat) for
the first few hours after an injury to reduce pain and
swelling.
- Compression -- Applying a gentle wrap
to the injured area to control swelling, add stability
and reduce motion to the area.
- Elevation -- Keep the injured area
elevated above the level of the heart to keep fluids
from collecting.
Medications can also be used along with RICE to assist
with pain control. There are many over the counter medications
that be used for this purpose and each patient should
choose the one right for them.
It is important to know when to seek medical advice.
You should call your doctor if you don't notice a reduction
in pain within 24 to 48 hours. ALWAYS call your physician
if the pain gets worse instead of better; you have a
fever that lasts more than 3 days; new symptoms develop;
if the pain, swelling or redness occurs that is not
confined to the site of the original injury; or when
the joints below the injury become immobile.
Treatment
There are many treatments available for
the large variety of injuries that can occur
as a result of athletic activity. Please
refer to other areas in our web site that
deal with the specific body part that you
are interested in learning about.
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