If you have ever played any sport or exercised for any significant period of time its pretty much guaranteed that at some point you will get injured or tweak something. This happens to all of us at one time or another. In fact I’m sitting here nursing a bruised heel after a particularly bad tackle yesterday when I was playing in a game for Mobberly yesterday. It looks like I will be unable to play for the next few weeks (will know more after I see Nas, our physio later today).
What to do if you get injured playing sport
If you have ever had an injury or a tear you can minimise the pain by stopping the activity as soon as possible and getting it iced. A good model to use is the P.R.I.C.E
Protection: If injured, stop the activity and protect the injured part from further damage. Avoid weight bearing on the injured area.
Rest: Rest is crucial to protect the injured muscle, tendon, ligament or other tissue from further injury. Resting the injured part is important to promote effective healing at least for the first day or so.
Ice: Icing your injury provides short term pain relief and also reduces swelling by lowering blood flow to the injured area.
Compression: Compressing an injury also helps to limit and reduce swelling, which may delay healing.
Elevation: Elevating an injury can help to control the swelling. This is most effective when the injured area is raised above the level of the heart. For example, if you have an injured foot, try lying downwith your foot propped on one or two pillows or cushions.
You should of course always seek out a professional if your injury is serious and get it diagnosed as quick as possible.
