Heavy sports such as football, basketball, tennis, skiing are among the activities where sports injuries are common. Experts point out that 20-30 percent of all sports injuries occur in the ankle. According to experts, sports injuries are considered mild if they cause 1-7 days of being away from sports, moderate if they cause being away from sports for 8-21 days, and severe if they cause being away from sports for more than 21 days. It is recommended that the injured athlete be taken out of the sports field properly and ice treatment should be applied without losing time in order to prevent edema.
Üsküdar University Faculty of Health Sciences Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Department Head Prof. Dr. Deniz Demirci shared information about the types of sports injuries and drew attention to the factors that lead to injuries.
Pushing physical limits leads to sports injuries
Emphasizing that sports injuries are more common in heavy sports such as football, basketball, tennis and skiing, Prof. Dr. Deniz Demirci said, “Especially in some amateur athletes who occasionally do sports for sports, sports injuries can develop more easily with a very simple trauma. Sports injuries occur as a result of pushing physical limits rather than the work we do in our daily lives. It can easily be said that there has been a significant increase in the number of sportsmen today. While some of the individuals who do sports do performance sports, the other part restricts themselves to walking only.” said.
As the importance of sports increased, so did the injuries.
Demirci, who stated that the number of individuals who do sports is increasing as the importance of sports is understood more and more clearly, said, “In parallel with this, the number of individuals complaining of ailments called sports injuries has also increased. Sports injuries that occur due to some strains while doing sports are generally in the form of head and neck injuries, shoulder joint and surrounding injuries, elbow joint injuries, forearm wrist and finger injuries, back and waist injuries, hip joint injuries, ankle and knee injuries in the leg area. can classify.” he said.
If the injury lasted more than 21 days, beware!
Stating that six basic facts should be evaluated in order to understand the severity of a sports injury, Prof. Dr. Deniz Demirci, “These cases; type of injury, treatment type and duration, time away from sports, lost workdays, permanent damage and financial cost. The severity of a sports injury is understood as a result of considering and evaluating these cases one by one. For example, if it causes being away from sports for 1-7 days, it can be a mild injury, if it causes being away from sports for 8-21 days, it is moderate, if it causes being away from sports for more than 21 days, it can be a severe injury.” used his statements.
20-30 percent of sports injuries occur in the ankle
prof. Dr. Deniz Demirci pointed out that 20-30 percent of all sports injuries occur in the ankle and continued as follows:
“85 percent of ankle injuries occur in the form of 'sprains'. In sprains, primarily lateral ligaments, medial ligaments, tibiofibular syndesmosis ligamentous structures are affected. Muscle injuries can be encountered frequently, especially in sports that involve sprinting, such as short-distance running or football. Most injuries occur in the posterior thigh muscles. The lower extremity and metatarsal bones such as tibia, fibula, femur and pelvis are most exposed to overuse injuries, also called stress fractures. Shoulder injuries, knee joint disorders such as meniscus and childhood sports injury syndrome can also be seen frequently. The knee joint stands out as the most frequently injured area in the human body. Physical strains experienced in sports that require performance can lead to meniscus and cruciate ligament tears. However, in severe traumas, problems such as bone fractures and joint dislocations can also occur.
75% of injuries heal smoothly
Stating that it is possible to encounter many different injuries during sports activities, Demirci said, “As 75 percent of these injuries are insignificant, they heal without causing a problem. On the other hand, 25 percent need short or long-term treatment that requires a break from sports activities. During these traumas, some factors facilitate the injury and prolong the recovery period. We can say that individual and environmental reasons are the factors that lead to sports injuries. Weak muscle and bone structure, previous injuries and surgeries, anatomical disorders, chronic diseases and infections, psychological problems, age and gender are defined as individual causes. We can consider pushing the physical limits without training, choosing bad and wrong materials, not following the rules of sports, unsuitable ground for sports and bad weather conditions as environmental factors. said.
You can prevent sports injuries by doing these…
prof. Dr. Deniz Demirci listed the things to be considered in order to prevent sports injuries as follows:
- First of all, it should be determined whether there is an obstacle to sports with a health screening,
- If there is a previously known health problem, the doctor should be consulted before deciding to do sports and risky sports should be avoided,
- Detailed information about the sport to be performed should be obtained and appropriate clothing, shoes and materials should be used for this sport,
- If extreme fatigue, palpitations and dizziness occur during sports, the sports should be stopped and,
- Before starting contact or competition sports, warm-up and muscle stretching exercises should be done for at least 15-20 minutes.
First aid is important
Emphasizing the importance of first aid in the treatment process of sports injuries, Demirci said, “First aid or first aid is the first action applied at the scene. In the beginning, the injured athlete should be taken out of the sports field properly, then the injured area should be brought to the resting position and ice treatment should be applied for 10-15 minutes without wasting time to prevent edema in this area. After the ice treatment, which can be applied 2-5 times a day with an interval of 6 hours, a suitable bandage and compression or splint should be applied to the injured area. As a result, the methods applied in the pre-treatment period of sports injuries consist of protection, rest, ice, compression and elevation. In sports injuries, definitive treatment, conservative treatment, physical therapy and surgical treatments are applied according to the severity, damage and location of the injury. said.
If appropriate treatment is not applied, there is a problem in returning to sports.
prof. Dr. Deniz Demirci stated that it is possible to return to sports after many sports injuries, usually after appropriate treatment.
“However, depending on the severity of the injury, the return to sports may take longer. Problems in returning to sports after sports injuries are mostly due to not applying the appropriate treatment or returning to sports early before the treatment is fully completed. As a result, the problems can become chronic and affect sports performance. Whether it is treated with conservative methods or surgically, it is the most appropriate method to be treated by an experienced team of orthopedists, physical therapy doctors, sports physicians and physiotherapists working in coordination with each other in order to obtain successful results after sports injuries. For example, even if good treatment is applied after very serious injuries such as Achilles tendon ruptures, serious cartilage injuries in the knee, the former performance may not be fully achieved after returning to sports.”
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