How is rehabilitation and treatment of sports injuries carried out?

What is a sprain ? What are the signs and symptoms of a sprain ? How to effectively treat sprains at home?

Sprains are very common injuries that occur during sudden movements that exceed the permissible range of motion of the joint or do not coincide with its normal direction. Such injuries often occur in everyday situations: according to statistics, about 85% of all household injuries are sprains or ruptures. Often such injuries occur in children. But athletes especially often suffer from muscle and ligament sprains of varying severity. The most traumatic sports in this regard are tennis, gymnastics, football, hockey, boxing, wrestling, as well as some types of athletics (jumping, javelin or discus throwing, and others).

Alcohol compress for sprains

A vodka compress for sprained ligaments can be prepared with pure alcohol and vodka or supplemented with medicinal herbs. Various plants can be infused and stored for a long time, so that in case of injury we have a ready-made medicine.

Compress for sprained ligaments

Tinctures from arnica and horse chestnut fruits can be made with alcohol. To prepare the first one, you need to take 20 g of raw materials, pour in 250 ml of alcohol, and leave for a month in a dark room. The finished product should be stored in a tightly closed container.

Using the same algorithm, an infusion of chestnuts and lilac flowers is prepared. The prepared product is soaked in gauze rolled up in several layers. Apply a compress to the affected area for 4 hours.

Alcohol compresses have contraindications:

• Skin rashes, wounds, scratches, allergic rash;
• oncological diseases;
• severe pathology of the cardiovascular system;
• Age up to 3 years and pregnancy.

Compress with Dimexide

The use of Dimexide helps relieve pain, normalize blood flow and speed up recovery. Therapeutic compresses prevent blood stagnation and the formation of blood clots.

Dimexide

To prepare the product, you need to dilute 50% Dimexide with water in equal proportions. A gauze pad is soaked in the resulting mixture and then applied to the aching ligament. Cover the top of the compress with a napkin. Leave for half an hour. The application period must not exceed 14 days.

It is recommended to prepare the compress with gloves so as not to accidentally transfer the medicine to the mucous membrane of the eye with your hands.

This drug, like others, has contraindications, so its use is permitted after consultation with a doctor.

Prevention of injuries during sports

Professional injuries to athletes can be avoided. But for this we need to pay more attention to prevention. This means that you can exercise only after warming up your muscles and doing a short series of simple exercises.

And during training you need to take care of your own safety. To do this, you need to wear helmets, gloves, elbow pads, sometimes even corsets and orthoses, if prescribed by a doctor. You need to choose only high-quality shoes, and for jogging, an orthopedic insole will not be superfluous - it absorbs a significant part of the shock load, and this allows you to avoid protrusion and the development of spinal disease.

You should also try to follow all the safety rules provided for a particular sport.

With hot milk

Cold compresses and lotions for dislocations, ruptures of muscles and ligaments are needed in the first days after injury. On day 3 you can already undergo heat treatment. A hot milk compress is prepared in the standard way. As it cools, it should be changed up to 3 times.

Milk for wrapping

Hot compresses should not be used in cases such as:

• acute inflammatory process;
• presence of infection;
• high body temperature;
• general malaise;
• cardiovascular disorders;
• dermatological diseases, allergies.

Degrees of sprain

There are three degrees of severity of a sprain :

• I degree (mild sprain ) - damage to a small area of ​​the ligament. There is minor pain, which may practically not interfere with physical activity. There may not be any swelling at this degree of stretching.
• Grade II (moderate sprain ) - partial rupture of the ligament. Severe pain is typical, swelling and hematomas appear.
• III degree (severe sprain ) - complete rupture of the ligament . There is very strong and acute pain, severe swelling, and bruising. If the rupture occurs in the ankle area, then it may be almost impossible to step on the damaged limb. The danger of ligament rupture is the formation of a “weak” joint, prone to frequent damage.

First aid for sprains

Timely and correctly provided first aid can delay the development of severe consequences of sprains and facilitate subsequent treatment. To treat a sprain, the following measures are recommended as initial therapy:

1. Ensure stillness and peace. It is necessary to lay the victim down or sit comfortably, ensuring immobility and rest of the injured leg or arm.
2. Cold. Immediately after an injury (or during the first day), it is recommended to apply ice to the injured joint for the first two hours to reduce pain and swelling. When using ice, do not hold it for too long - this may cause tissue damage.
3. Load protection. It is necessary to fix the affected joint. To do this, you can use various means - from a splint or elastic bandage to crutches. Do not tighten the elastic bandage too tightly so as not to disrupt blood circulation. If there is a feeling of numbness in the bandaged limb, loosen the bandage. On the first day after the injury, crushed ice in a plastic bag can be applied to the top of the bandage. The day after the injury there is no need to apply ice - on the contrary, heat is necessary.
4. When bruising occurs, it is necessary to elevate the limb to prevent the increase in swelling of the periarticular tissues.
5. Painkillers are used to reduce pain.

With clay powder

For treating ligaments and tendons, green or blue clay is recommended, but any clay will do. The main thing is that it is not contaminated. You can make a poultice only from clay, applying it to gauze or combining it in different ways.

Recipes for compresses for muscles and ligaments with the addition of clay:

• Powdery clay is diluted with fresh urine to the consistency of sour cream, the mass is placed on thick gauze, which is wrapped around the injured limb, kept for up to 7 hours, and left overnight;
• Sourdough or cabbage brine is diluted with clay to the consistency of sour cream, the product is used in the same way.

Clay can be diluted with decoctions of herbs - elderberry, bay leaf, yarrow.

Terms of rehabilitation

It all depends on the severity of the damage. For example, in case of a fracture, the bones heal in 4 weeks at best, and after that the surgeon, orthopedist or traumatologist can set additional periods during which it is necessary to limit the load. But this does not mean that you need to remain completely still during this time. Doctors advise strengthening muscles in adjacent areas. Then the swelling in the problem area will go away.

For severe ligament ruptures and fractures, the average rehabilitation period is five weeks. With milder ones, it happens that recovery is faster. You will still have to wear a cast or orthosis for exactly as long as the doctor prescribed.

With ginger root

A sprain compress with ginger can be applied daily to reduce pain. To prepare it you need to take 2 tablespoons of root, a teaspoon of chili pepper, 1 teaspoon of turmeric, sesame oil. Mix all the spices to an ointment consistency. Before use, the mixture is heated in a water bath. The compress is fixed with bandages for 2-3 hours.

Ginger root

Prepare a mixture of one tablespoon of ginger, sugar and 350 ml of water over low heat for 30 minutes. After cooling, it is soaked in gauze and applied to the damaged ligament. It can also be taken orally to relieve painful joint problems.

Signs and symptoms of a sprain

Ligaments are penetrated by a large number of nerve endings and blood vessels, so sprains , and even more so rupture of ligaments, cause severe pain and swelling of the injured joint. Typically, acute pain of varying severity with sprains appears immediately at the time of injury or immediately after the injury. of sprains also quickly appear : hemorrhage (hematoma) at the site of injury, swelling, redness of the skin, severe limitation of joint function and pain on palpation. Depending on the severity of the sprain, the following may be observed: increased temperature (a local increase in temperature is almost always observed), hyperemia, noticeable hemorrhage into the soft tissues.

Sometimes it happens that immediately after an injury the victim does not feel much pain and can make movements in the damaged joint. This position is deceptive and contributes to increased sprains , since movement in the injured joint further damages the injured ligaments. After some time (from several minutes to one or two hours after the injury), swelling begins to grow in the area of ​​the damaged ligaments, pain sharply increases, and the function of the joint is significantly impaired.

In addition to sprains , traumatic ligament injuries such as tears or tears are possible. A sprained ligament differs from a rupture not only in the degree of pain, but also in the mobility of the injured area: if during a sprain the mobility of the joint is often limited, then during a rupture it may have an atypically large amplitude.

Sprains must be distinguished from other joint injuries - dislocations, fractures. When a dislocation most often occurs, the ligaments are torn, one of the bones is displaced, the articular surfaces of the bones completely cease to touch (complete dislocation) or partially touch (subluxation). In this case, the appearance of the joint usually changes, and movement in the joint becomes impossible. Dislocations and fractures are significantly more severe injuries than sprains . They require urgent qualified medical care. Since the pain and symptoms of serious sprains and, for example, closed fractures are very similar, X-ray examination is required to establish a definitive diagnosis.

A sprain is sometimes confused with a muscle strain. The distinctive feature is the following: pain during a sprain appears immediately after the injury or within a short time after it. If the pain appears the next morning after physical activity or in the middle of the night, then this is a muscle strain.

With onions

Wrap the chopped onion in gauze and steam. A warm compress should be wrapped around the most painful area. It can be used 3 times a day. Chopped onions are also mixed with granulated sugar and consumed in the same way.

Chopped onion

Warm and cold onion compresses can be used 3-4 days after injury. They can be used daily for pain relief. After the procedure, it is recommended to make an iodine mesh and bandage the wound site.

From olive oil

Olive oil contains vitamins A, K, C, E, fatty acids, tocopherol, sterols and antioxidants. It can be used for rubbing and compresses. To prepare it, boil 250 g of oil and add a tablespoon of chamomile flowers. After 15 minutes of infusion, you can soak gauze in it.

Boil olive oil with beeswax in a water bath. The cooled mixture is applied to the sore spot. An infusion of St. John's wort oil can be used to speed up tissue healing. Half a glass of flowers is poured with oil, the mixture is infused for 21 days in a dark room.

Urine compress for sprains

You can do rubbing and compresses using your own urine. It is better to use fresh urine or store it in a cool place and in a tightly closed container. For compresses, you should take morning urine, since it contains an increased concentration of biologically active substances. When applying compresses at night, it should be immobilized with an elastic bandage. Urine can be preheated in a water bath.

Which compress to use for a sprained ligament, warm or cold, will depend on the course of the injury. When there is no acute inflammation and the general condition is satisfactory, warm urine can be used. In other cases, only cold compresses are used to avoid complications. It is recommended to use urine compresses no more than twice a week.

Urine bags should not be used under the following conditions:

• individual intolerance;
• venereal diseases;
• Inflammatory processes of the genitourinary system and kidneys;
• Undergoing radiation therapy and chemotherapy;
• Pregnancy (after consultation with a doctor).

Home treatment with compresses can be carried out only after examination by a doctor. Folk remedies will only complement the main treatment.

Treatment process for sports injuries

An athlete who trains in a gym or in a club can count on a coach in such a situation. But even if there is no specialist nearby, it’s okay. First aid for sports injuries can be provided by anyone with minimal medical knowledge.

In most cases, it is necessary to limit any loads, and, if possible, fix and immobilize the limb. It is recommended to apply an ice compress to the site of the bruise or sprain for the first three or four hours after the incident. Further treatment of sports injuries is possible only after a surgeon, traumatologist or orthopedist has examined the patient and made a diagnosis. Sometimes the athlete will need to undergo additional x-rays or other testing. After examination and analysis of the data obtained, the doctor

It depends entirely on the severity of the situation. For example, complex fractures and meniscus tears may require surgery. For less severe cases, treatment methods include a course of drug therapy (painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, drugs for tissue regeneration and bone strengthening). And at the end of the course, a program for the recovery of athletes after injuries begins, which can take a long period of time.