Athletes are professions that are required to be active and require high coordination and concentration. During sports, it is not uncommon for athletes to experience injuries to their body parts. Sports injuries are conditions that occur in the muscular and skeletal systems of the body during sports. Each sport has its own risk of injury. This can be prevented by doing a good warm-up before exercising and doing the necessary exercises, especially muscle strengthening exercises.
What is the first treatment for injured athletes?
On-site sports injury is first aid that is done directly (on the sidelines) of the field for sports injuries. Time on the field or where the injury occurred is critical or important, because if the first treatment given to a sports injury is good then subsequent recovery will be better and faster. However, if it is not handled properly it will have a negative impact and can even threaten the athlete's career. The first treatment for sports injuries must be done properly, as soon as possible, and must be handled by professionals who understand how to do it.
How to prevent injury?
Sports injuries can be prevented in several ways:
- Before starting the exercise, it is advisable to have a pre-exercise check by a Sports Medicine Specialist to ensure the safety of the exercise.
- The type and intensity of exercise must be chosen appropriately according to one's ability and medical condition.
- Physical exercise must be carried out according to the prescription for the person. If it's too light, the benefits won't be optimal and if it's too much, the exercise can potentially cause injury.
- Physical exercises are carried out in a sequence of warm-up, core and cool-down. The duration for warming up really depends on the sport, intensity, and duration of the exercise. The purpose of the warm-up is to raise body temperature so that it is ready to accept the heavy training load. Because muscles that are stiff or cold will be more susceptible to injury.
- Muscle strengthening and flexibility exercises (stretching or stretching ) must be done regularly.
- Use the right sports equipment, for example shoes specifically designed for the sport being played.
- The need for drinking and electrolytes must also be fulfilled.
- Risk factors for injury are identified. Once these risk factors are identified, intervention can be made so that sports injuries can be prevented.
Do sports injuries always require surgery?
Handling injuries through surgery depends on the degree of severity of the injuries that occur. If the injury is still in the mild category, then there is no need for surgery. However, if the injury is in a severe category, surgery must be carried out immediately. Because if it is not operated on, this condition can damage the joint cushions and joint cartilage, so that the result is very fatal.
Do you have to undergo exercise therapy after surgery?
Must, because the main function of surgery is to restore the structure that was changed due to injury to be like or close to before. If postoperative exercise therapy is not carried out, the function of the muscles and bones will not return to normal, so the results of the operation will be in vain. Exercise therapy is important to restore joint range of motion and muscle strength to normal and even better than before.
If you have a sports injury, visit a doctor immediately to get the right treatment. You can visit the Sport Clinic at EMC Sentul Hospital because it has a very complete service to treat sports injuries, ranging from non-operative to operative injury cases. EMC Sentul Hospital Sport Clinic has an integrated and comprehensive service in handling complaints related to sports activities.
Article written by dr. Anita Suryani, Sp.KO (Specialist in Sports Medicine at EMC Sentul Hospital).