There are few things less thrilling than excelling in a competitive sport. Unfortunately, along with the fun can come injuries. At Irvine Family Care in Irvine, California, Janet Goodfellow, MD and Ronald Young, MD, can treat your sports injury and get you back in the game. To learn more, book an appointment over the phone today.
Is my injury serious enough to see a doctor?
If you play hard, you can easily strain a muscle, tear a ligament or fracture a bone. You should see a doctor if you experience any of the following symptoms after getting injured:
How will my sports injury be treated?
Before you see a doctor, you should first take steps to make sure your injury doesn’t get worse. The common method to do this is called RICE, which stands for rest, ice, compress and elevate. You should rest the injured area, use ice and compression to treat the pain, and reduce swelling by elevating the injured area.
When you go to your doctor, your doctor will evaluate your injury and may request an X-ray. Treatment will depend on your injury. If you have a broken bone, you may be given cast or another type of support. If you have a cut, you may be given stitches or something similar to close the wound. Severe injuries may require surgery.
How can I prevent sports injuries?
You can help prevent sports injuries by warming up properly. Warming up can increase your blood flow, loosen your joints, and prepare your muscles so they are able to handle the strain of more serious exercise. If you do not warm up before exercising, your risk of getting injured will increase significantly.
You should also make sure you drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. If you’re dehydrated, your muscles can get exhausted more easily and increase your risk of getting injured.
You should also make sure to take frequent breaks so your muscles have time to rest. Putting too much strain on your muscles can cause them to get inflamed, which can increase your chances of getting injured.
If you need expert care from doctors you can trust, please call to book an appointment today with Irvine Family Care.
