Sport injuries

Most people manage to stay fit and play a sport regularly. Some of the more active  indulge in two or three different types of sport. What happens when we get injured?

There are two different types of injuries: soft tissue and hard tissue

• Soft tissue injuries affect the muscles and ligaments.

• Hard tissue injuries apply to the bones and are usually more serious types of injuries such as fractures and dislocations. These will need medical treatment by a specialist.

Types of soft tissue injuries

• A bruise or contusion is a damage to small blood vessels, causing bleeding in the tissues.

• A muscle strain is a small tear of the muscle fibres.

• A ligament strain is a small tear of the ligament tissue.

Injury Management

• RICER rule (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation, Referral) is popular and applies best to the management of soft tissue injuries such as muscle soreness, painful movement and minor bruises.