How to Deal with a Sports Injury at Home
Linnea Clark-Hapy
Whether you’re a major gym rat or you occasionally play a game of basketball with your kids, sports injuries are a common risk once you get moving. While the best way to deal with injuries is to prevent them from happening at all, things go wrong all the time.
Luckily, minor sports injuries can be handled at home (at least until professional help is required) using the rest, ice, compression, elevation (RICE) method, plus a couple of other tricks. Here’s how to deal with a sports injury at home.
1. Get Some Rest
It sounds obvious, but it must be said that Injuries need time to heal. When we get accustomed to an exercise routine, it’s tempting to push through the pain so we don’t miss a workout. I had to take a break from my bike for a few weeks while I was having some knee issues recently, but the weather was great and the temptation to just go for a ride was strong.
Unfortunately, jumping back into exercise too soon can reaggravate your injury and prolong the time it takes you to recover. If you still want to exercise, try focusing on an activity that doesn’t use your injured area. For example, you can let an injured elbow rest while you walk, run, or go for a hike.
2. Apply Cold Temperatures
Cold therapy can be used to treat recent injuries that occurred within the last 48 hours. Cold temperatures will numb the area and slow blood flow, reducing the pain and swelling or inflammation. You can simply use ice and a washcloth, or spring for a CorPak that can be cooled in the freezer and be ready to go at a moment’s notice.
3. Apply Compression
Applying pressure to the injured area will help reduce swelling and inflammation. The wrapping should be snug, but not so tight that it cuts off circulation. You can buy all-purpose wraps or wraps that are custom designed for commonly injured areas of the body.
4. Elevate the Injury
Gravity is a powerful force, and you can use it to drain fluid away from your injury. This will help reduce pain, swelling, and inflammation. Keep your injury elevated whenever you can; for example, you can stack up some pillows to keep an injured ankle lifted when you’re in bed.
5. Use Medication as Directed
You may want some over-the-counter medication to help with pain and inflammation. Acetaminophen products like Tylenol can help with pain, while nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) meds like Ibuprofen can also fight inflammation. Make sure to follow the instructions on the bottle.
6. Protect the Injury
Injuries need to be protected for you to properly recover. You can protect minor injuries with bandages, wraps, or splints. You may even want to take it a step further and get a sophisticated support product, like a knee support, to keep your injury protected when you aren’t able to rest it.
Conclusion
Remember that there’s no exact timetable for injury recovery, and at-home methods won’t always get the job done. If you have a major injury or a seemingly minor one that lingers, it’s time to see a doctor. You may be able to get treated by your primary care doctor or get recommended to an orthopedist, physical therapist, or other medical professional.
Sources
https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/51/12/930
https://www.coreproducts.com/blogs/news/how-to-use-heat-and-cold-therapy-for-injury-relief
