The best ways to treat a minor sports injury

In my childhood I have often had minor injuries while playing sometime or the other. And, getting hurt was just natural while playing a sport or otherwise with friends. My mother used to come up with home remedies in some cases where the injury was not too big. Mother’s remedies also helped my injuries to heal and recover quickly.

Treatments for a sports injury depends on how severe the injury is and which part of the body is affected. If your injury does not require medical treatment /Minor Sports injuries – for example, a mild sprain or strain – you can treat it at home using PRICE therapy.

PRICE stands for: protection, rest, ice, compression, and elevation.

Protection – protect the affected area from further injury – for example, by using a support.

Rest: Rest is vital to protect the injured muscle, tendon, ligament or other tissue from further injury. If injured, stop playing and protect the injured part from further damage. Avoid putting weight on the injured part, get help moving to a safe area off the field. Resting the injured part is important to promote effective healing.

Ice – Cold will reduce pain and swelling. Apply an ice or cold pack right away to provide short-term pain relief and also limits swelling by reducing blood flow to the injured area. When icing injuries, never apply ice directly to the skin (unless it is moving as in ice massage) and apply the ice or cold pack for 10 to 20 minutes, 3 or more times a day. After 48 to 72 hours, longer exposure can damage your skin and even result in frostbite.

Compression – Compression refers to the application of pressure to keep the swelling down. Compression helps limit and reduce swelling, which may delay healing. Some people also experience pain relief from compression. An easy way to compress the area of the injury is to wrap an ACE bandage around the swollen part. If you feel throbbing, or if the wrap just feels too tight, remove the bandage and re-wrap the area so the bandage is a little looser.

Elevation – Elevating an injury help control swelling. For example, if you injure an ankle, try lying on your bed with your foot propped on one or two pillows.

After 48 hours of PRICE therapy, stop compression and try moving the injured area. If, after this time, your symptoms are worse, visit your doctor. PRICE therapy can be useful for any sports injury, but some injuries may require additional treatment.

Once the healing process has begun, light massage may reduce the formation of scar tissue, and improve tissue healing.

Gentle stretching can be begun after all swelling has subsided. Try to work the entire range of motion of the injured joint or muscle, but be extremely careful not to force a stretch, or you risk re-injury to the area. Keep in mind that a stretch should never cause pain.